Singing Mary's Song

Opening

Take us back through Advent thus far

We’ve looked for the buds on the fig tree — we’ve seen the signs that the Messiah is coming, that justice is about to arrive, that the promised return from exile and despair is nearly here.

We’ve prepared to follow the coming Messiah by repenting — as we see the dawn from on high breaking forth, we turn towards it. We turn away from all that would bind us or imprison us, all that would distract or discourage us. We turn to God, turn into the way of Jesus, walking the path that the Spirit leads us on.

We’ve begun to change our practices and become more aligned to God’s way — we’ve asked “what shall we do” and we see that it is practical. We are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly, as the prophet Micah of old told the people. How we live our lives changes and how we carry this hope of the Messiah in the world impacts all that we do.

Now, a song must rise. Now, as we hear the final story of Advent this year, we find a model of gratitude and self-relinquishment in Mary that serves to fulfill the aching of hope that rests in us. We, like Mary, are filled with the anticipation of the Christ child, like a pregnant woman, ready to give birth.

Scripture

Let’s hear the story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, their shared experience of God’s promise and the joy of the arrival of the Christ.

The New Revised Standard Version The Birth of Jesus Foretold

38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Difficulties of conception and pregnancy

A quick Google search finds estimates that the infant mortality rate in first century Palestine, according to archaeologists, was somewhere between and 30% and 50%. Meaning that possibly half of all births resulted in infant death. Contrast that with statistics for the United States in 2021, where another quick search yields a United Nations study stating our country’s current rate infant mortality rate is 0.0005% or about 5 of every 1000 births.

And these are statistics based on live births. Let’s then add in the heartbreaking complications of miscarriages and stillbirths, which unfortunately still happen quite often. It is impossible to know the numbers of such occurences in the first century, but even if it was a similar number to what we experience now (which I am certain it would be higher, based on medical care and diet), we find staggering numbers that point us to something incredibly important here: the birth of a child was prized, greatly, in this culture.

We visited Italy a few years ago. Italy has a declining population these days and children are so celebrated. Everywhere we went, little Asher was heralded — “ahh, bambino!!” Gifts of candy and cookies always followed. Children are rare in the Italian countryside. And so a child is special, celebrated, wished for, cared for, raised to be healthy and strong.

We have to hold this in mind as we listen to Mary and Elizabeth’s exchange. These are two women who are holding great hope of delivery of their growing children. We have to witness their interaction while also holding the anxiety of what would be normal occurence that these children would not make it. The promises these two women held are extraordinary.

I wonder if we forget these difficulties as we read this story. I wonder if we take for granted the potential for disruption, even as we know the stories have good next chapters, with John and Jesus born and grown as men. I wonder if we can pause today and simply hold the gravity that these two women are doing something miraculous.

I’ll shade this even more with what we know about what follows for the newborn boys of Israel. We know that Mary and Joseph must flee to Egypt in the weeks following Jesus’ birth for fear of King Herod. Herod, feeling threatened that another king is on the scene, puts out an order to murder all the newborn boys of the Jews. Remember how Pharoah did this with the Israelites? Here we are again. So many factors are standing in the way of these births, these promised children.

I certainly took the process of conception and pregnancy for granted for a very long time. Reading these stories as a child, I thought the whole process took about a week — one week we’re hearing about Mary’s visitation with the angel and the next week there’s a baby in the manger. Done and done. Easy.

But it is so much more complicated than that, isn’t it? And I have learned this lesson from the practical realities of hoping to become a parent. Stacy and I are so so grateful for Asher because of how miraculous his birth seems to us. I hope you feel that same way about your children.

And still, for so many of us, conception, pregnancy, and birth are fraught with complications and anxiety. It is a complex affair, even around what should seem as routine as conception and birth. It’s not so simple, circumstances of partners and context and ability to support a family and then you throw in the evils of abuse and rape and power. Throw in, also, what we know about the potential for hazards to the mother, bearing a child that perhaps will harm their body and threaten their own life. Pregnancy is complicated, not always expected, wanted, or certain.

Hear this: this is a story of a miraculous child. The fulfilment of a promise, long foretold. And this is what we celebrate at Christmas.

The wonder of the Savior’s birth. Let Mary Preach.

Now, Mary does an amazing job of celebrating, right?

Let’s hear her words again, and let her preach to us this morning. Mary’s song is one of prophetic witness, gospel truth, and confirmation of God’s faithfulness.

The New Revised Standard Version Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

In the face of all that we have already named, the difficulties and complexities of bringing a life into the world, Mary speaks these powerful words of praise to God.

Do you hear it in her song? It’s not just about praising God for choosing her to bear the Christ child. No, it is much larger than this. Mary’s song shows us that God is choosing this girl to be a part of a much grander movement of justice in the world. An unwed mother, who should be outcast, is the focal point of God’s redeeming love and justice.

It is from this complexity, this unexpected, yet cherished conception, that Mary will become blessed by all the nations. God’s mercy is shining through her, God’s power and strength, might and providence, all right here in this simple young girl.

In Mary’s song, we hear of God overturning the power structures, bringing down the powerful, scattering the proud. Like John’s teaching last week, we see that it is in this upside down way of God that those who hold power are forced to relinquish control, those who have pride are thrown to the wind. In their place, the hungry receive their fill, the lowly are lifted up and exalted. God is remembering God’s promise to sustain those who are pure of heart, suffering in exile, thrown out by the powers of the world.

The Advent stories, as we have seen, are disruptive and prophetic. They do not accept the way the world is, but rather point to a new dawn breaking through. The unwed, servant girl and the earthly father who wants to run away — these are the people God uses to parent the Christ. The rich rulers who lord their power have it stripped away. The dawn breaks forth from on high to illuminate those who have walked in darkness, despair, and hopelessness.

Will we sing this song? Will it rise up in us?

Mary’s song rises up from her as she glorifies God for what God is doing in her.

What song will rise up in you today?

Out of your despair, your fear, your uncertainties, what song will rise up? It doesn’t have to be a pretty song, as well formed as Mary’s Magnificat is. What is rising up in your heart, your gut, your soul? What injustices do you witness that you long to cry out to God to be dismantled? And how is God blessing our world, how would you sing God’s praises?

This is our next step as we journey into the final days of Advent. That we prepare to sing out. That in the stillness of the season, we feel the pregnant hope rising up in us. Perhaps it is the kind of thing that brings a twinkle to your eye, a sly smile to your face — knowing that God is doing great things. Relish this, celebrate it, hold it like a newborn child, a child of promise and goodness and peace.

Practice — write your song.

In closing, I’d like to invite you to a practice. As you go out into your world, I want to encourage you to write your own song of praise.

What would it be like for you to sit down this week and take a moment to speak to God out of the fullness of heart and gratitude for what God is doing? What God is doing in you, yes, but also how God is at work in all creation. What would it be like to write your own words of praise? To write a Psalm, a prayer, a poem, a cry?

The coming week will be a mixture of hustle and silence. It will be a time when all things draw close — family, friends, memories. And it will be a time of anxiety, fear, worry — is this the time God has prepared for us? Is this the moment when things will be made whole and new, finally?

What would it be like to name that, like Mary does? To cry out in praise and worship to God. To name the injustices of our world, like the climate crisis or the ability for women in our nation to have control over their own bodies, their own health and wellbeing. What would it be like for you to practice your own song, your own Magnificat, as we call Mary’s words?

I invite you to do this. I invite you to write Sandra’s song, Mark’s song, Grayson’s song, Kris’ song. How does you soul cry out to God for all that God has done in you?

What must rise up in you? Speak these words to God.

Amen.