My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
The Third Sunday in Advent - Gaudate (Rejoice) Sunday - is the Sunday we think in many lectionaries about the role of Mary, Theotokos (the God Bearer).
Confronted with the Angelic visitation Mary is asked to say yes to God. Yes I will play my part. Yes, I will do as you ask. Yes, I will be part of your plan of salvation.
The confronting yes is the yes that we are asked to confront. God asks each one of us to play our part in our own salvation. No, he does not ask us to save ourselves, as Pelagious misunderstood, but God will not save us against our will. And God's mission and purpose in the world, whilst not utterly reliant on us, is something that we are asked to participate is.
From this day all generations will call me blessed;
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
This yes changes history. This is the yes that we remember, This is the yes that heads praise on God. Our yes, is not a yes that brings us praise, our yes is a yes that brings praise to God on High.
He has mercy on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
from generation to generation.
God's mercy and love is not short term, this is mercy that endures.
He has shown strength with his arm
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
God for ever is comforting the disquieted and disquieting the comfortable.
Casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
and lifting up the lowly.
The message of scripture seems to constantly remind us of an upending of the established order. Social Justice is not a left wing addition to the Gospel, but suts right at the heart of it.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
and sent the rich away empty.
The notion is that the established order is being overturned is restated.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
to remember his promise of mercy,
to remember his promise of mercy,
God has not forgotten the promise of mercy he made to Israel.
The promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
to Abraham and his children for ever.
The Promise of God to Abraham remains in tact.
The Magnificat is a great favourite with Anglicans, it was sung as one of the canticles for Evensong for Sundays, if not for most of the days of the year.
In this period of getting ready, the song of Mary reminds us that part of our getting ready, is to remember those in need, not just for Christmas, but also that we might be ready to meet the Lord when he comes in Glory.
