Scripture Reading(s)
Luke 1:46-56
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And 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 mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Reflections
The response Mary has towards being the mother of the future Savor of the world is filled with humility, thanksgiving and a recognition of how powerful God is. She also recognizes that God is showing His favor towards not only her but to the nation of Israel and the entire world.
She praises God for choosing her to play a role in ushering in the redemption of this world. She also thanks God for His never ending faithfulness and recalls how He remained faithful throughout history from the time of Abraham to the rest of Israel’s journey and how that is being carried out to the rest of the world.
God’s faithfulness has never ceased and it is amazing to see how Mary is able to recognize that this birth is not about her but points all the Glory back to God. Seeing how she is able to trace the finger of God throughout Israel’s history and up until now can be applied to our lives today as major source of encouragement.
God never stops working and His plan of redemption started even before the birth of Christ. The climax of God’s plan is just about to start as Mary’s pregnancy unfolds. We are about to bear witness to God’s redemptive plan coming full circle. Let us rejoice just as Mary did for God’s love and faithfulness towards us. His goal was always to save humanity from sin and eternal punishment and that same promise is still available to us today. Thank God for never giving up on us and for continuing to show His love and mercy each day.