Scripture Reading(s)
Luke 1:39-57
1:39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,
1:40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
1:42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
1:43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
1:44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.
1:45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
1:46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
1:48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
Reflections
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed (Luke 1:48)
The beginning of Luke’s gospel gives the audience a taste of what the rest of his gospel will proclaiming; that Jesus has come to call all people to Himself, especially the poor, the meek, the humble, and the lowly. In fact, we see that the gospel was spread using 12 humble servants of Jesus, of whom no special status was ever given. Jesus said even of his own disciples that the first will be last and the last will be first. And who did Jesus spend His ministry with? He spent it with the needy and the hopeless. Indeed, Jesus came not for the privileged but for everyone.
If you fell as though you are not gifted or unique enough for God to use you remember that you are exactly the reason He came. And it is the humble that He will use to build His kingdom. Do not be fooled into thinking that the highly esteemed and honored will be called first. Rather, God is calling anyone who will bear good fruit.
Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7:17-20)