Maria schreibt das Magnificat /Mary Writing the Magnificat
Last Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Advent Hope Uniting presented an Interactive Nativity Play, children presented adults with various items to wear while Scripture was read, and they did activities. The Annunciation was made by the angel Gabrial (My part) that Mary was to give birth to the Son of God.
‘She who was barren is already in her 6th month’.
Elizabeth, humbled by Mary’s visit said How is it that the Mother of my Lord should visit me.
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who [h]believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
And Mary rejoiced.
“My soul [i]magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth 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 on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
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 seed forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. The Scripture above appears in Luke 1:26-56 NKJV
Listen to this Taizé version of the Magnificat, though it is not the one I sought it is rather pleasant.
Of God to Mary
God agrees to choose the aspects of Himself that were the most obscure and communicates those aspects to Mary in a way that was alarmingly undebatable. See how He had already integrated her into the timeless plans of creation, making her almost a cause and a model of it in part. We have a new appreciation for Our Lady’s beauty because of her role in the salvation of the world. The title of co-redemptions, rather than the Immaculate Conception or the Assumption, will offer us a greater understanding of Mary’s Creation elevation. Although her pains weren’t necessary for the salvation of the world, they were inextricably linked to it in God’s plan. They are a measure of the divine plan’s integrity. Jesus’ mysteries are not Mary’s mysteries, and hers are not His mysteries.
Women in the Scriptures.( Women In The Scriptures, n.d – paraphrased)
The Song of Hannah and the Magnificat
These beautiful psalms and the women who wrote them have been at the back of my mind for a while. I find it curious that two women, separated in time by hundreds of years and living in such different situations, would be asked to deliver nearly the same message. In spite of the fact that Mary and Hannah had quite different life experiences and difficulties, I have come to realize after reflecting on their messages that they both knew the genuine nature of God. They were aware of who He was, the scope of His greatness and power, His immense kindness, and His love for His offspring. They realized the significance of His work and felt grateful to have a hand in it. Both of them refer to themselves as the Lord’s “handmaidens,” and despite the fact that it went beyond their original plans for their lives, they were willing to submit to His will. Hannah’s definition of submission was having the confidence that God’s timing for her life had a reason and a purpose, while Mary’s definition of submission involved being willing to get pregnant before she was “ready.”
Although their experiences were different, both of these women realized that God is in complete control of the universe and that only He has the power to grant salvation and acclamation. He alone has the power to give life, feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and control the destiny of nations and kings.
More and more, it appears to me, Hannah and Mary’s Psalms are the songs that ALL women sing in their hearts when they receive a foretaste of the depths of God’s love and might. When we decide to become one of the Lord’s “handmaidens” and learn to trust Him, we are gifted to receive power far greater than our own. As individuals, we are so tiny and insignificant in the scheme of the Universe. And I don’t think you can help but sing, as Mary did, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my Spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour,” when you catch a glimpse of that power.
It is quite astonishing that the All-Powerful Lord the Creator of all Creation permits both women and men to contribute ‘to’ His work, even in the tiniest capacity.
Women In The Scriptures. (n.d.). The Magnificat and Hannah’s Psalm. [online] Available at: https://www.womeninthescriptures.com/2012/02/magnificat-and-hannahs-psalm.html [Accessed 23 Dec. 2022].
Image attribute: Marie Ellenrieder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons