Mary sang a song.
Magnificat. My soul magnifies the Lord.
How can you magnify God? How can you make God bigger than he is?
God is the greatest. God made everything.
How can God be any bigger than He is?
How can a human being enlarge upon God?
I can’t make God bigger, but I can make a bigger place in my heart for God.
Give God more room to inhabit, more space to be.
I want God to be more and more important in my life.
My soul magnifies the Lord.
Mary sang a song.
My soul rejoices in God my Saviour.
She truly trusted in God, that young girl.
She had walked from home all the way to Elizabeth’s house, reflecting on her pregnancy and on God’s commission.
And she praised God.
Because God was doing something new.
God was saving his people.
Mary sang a song.
God has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
Mary didn’t put her hand up.
She didn’t volunteer.
She didn’t ask for the job of being mother to the Son of God.
It was a terrifying responsibility to take on.
A young girl, barely into her teens, her body not mature enough for marriage.
And God says: Bare my child.
And she says: Yes, Lord. Whatever is your will.
She puts herself out for him.
And whatever dread she feels inside, she regards it as God doing her a favour,
not the other way round.
Mary sang a song.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
So who is Mary for you?
A very special person? An example?
The Theotokos, Mother of God?
She was a girl, an ordinary girl, a girl who said yes.
She had the same problems that we have, caring for her family, making ends meet.
She didn’t always get it, about her strange son.
And in the end, the mother who had held her baby held his broken body in his arms.
And wept.
God blessed her.
But that didn’t let her off the difficulties, the pain and grief.
Mary sang a song.
The Almighty has done great things for me.
God who is so great, so wonderful, so amazing, cares about Mary.
God who creates the big picture cares about the small detail – one small individual human being.
God who is so great, so wonderful, so amazing, cares about me too. And you.
The mighty one is a very personal God.
He engages with us, each one of us.
He invites us into a relationship.
Mary sang a song.
And holy is his name.
God is holy, set apart, special, above everything.
It is in his very nature, who he is.
His very name.
Mary sang a song.
He has mercy on those who fear him, from generation to generation.
Mary remembers the history, the way God has cared for his people.
The way God cares for Mary, for each person – that’s the way he cares for everyone, since time began.
Mary sings of God’s tender side,
God who loves us and knows our needs;
God who forgives all those who turn to him, all those who make a place for him.
Mary sang a song.
He has shown strength with his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
This is also what God is like.
Strong and mighty, like a warrior, putting right all that is wrong, triumphant over evil, setting the world to rights.
Those who think they can combat him in the power of their own strength will always be defeated.
Mary sang a song.
Casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.
God has the kingdom, the power and the glory.
The petty tyrants who claim power and authority in their own name will be overturned.
Earthly rulers reign only as he allows, and when their arrogance becomes too much, he topples them.
But the lowly, the little ones – they attract his attention and his affection – the ones who do not presume too much, and do not set themselves up on high.
Mary sang a song.
He has filled the hungry with good things.
God cares about those who are hungry.
And those who are homeless, those whom no one wants near them, those who suffer because of hate and violence.
God cares about the little people, those who live on the margins, the ones we don’t notice.
Mary sang a song.
And sent the rich away empty.
God wants those who are rich to share what they have.
The haves will not get more from God unless they share, unless they care for the have-nots.
God is not impressed by wealth, not moved by status, nor enthralled by possessions.
You don’t win brownie-points with God for celebrity status or millionaire lifestyles.
Mary sang a song.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, to remember his promise of mercy.
The promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children for ever.
It was all planned, right from the beginning of time.
God laid the foundations right at the start, and left the clues all through history.
God knew how it would be, and he told us how he would save us.
He saw the evil coming, and he knew how he would rescue us.
He built up a relationship with his people, generation by generation.
He sent the prophets with his message.
He encouraged those who followed His way.
He sent instruction to those who were lost.
Sending his Son as our Saviour – that was not a sudden spontaneous decision.
It was all part of the plan.
And Mary was the next stage of God’s plan.
Mary sang a song.
Magnificat. My soul magnifies the Lord.