Answering God's Call: Mary's Song and Our Response
Luke 1:39-55 (NIV)
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors."
The Threshold of Wonder: Setting the Stage for Christ's Arrival
As we enter this fourth and final Sunday of Advent, our hearts and minds turn towards Bethlehem, where the greatest story ever told is about to unfold. The air is thick with anticipation, our spirits alert to the imminent arrival of the Christ child. But before we arrive at the manger, we pause to consider another story of faithful response to God's call – a story that echoes through the centuries and finds a powerful parallel in our passage from Luke.
A Mother's Legacy: Susanna Wesley's Faithful Response
In 18th century England, a remarkable woman named Susanna Wesley was raising a large family in difficult circumstances. The mother of 19 children (though only 10 survived to adulthood), Susanna faced numerous hardships: poverty, an often-absent husband, and the loss of their home to fire – twice.
Yet in the midst of these challenges, Susanna heard a call from God. It wasn't a dramatic vision or an angelic visitation, but a quiet conviction that she had a unique role to play in shaping the spiritual lives of her children and community.
Despite having no formal authority in the church (women were not permitted to preach or hold official positions), Susanna began holding Sunday afternoon services in her home when her husband was away and she found the substitute preacher's sermons lacking.
Starting with just her family, these gatherings soon grew to include over 200 people from the village. Susanna's response to God's call extended beyond these services. She took on the primary responsibility for her children's education, including their spiritual formation. She wrote meditations and commentaries on scripture for their benefit, and set aside time each week to speak individually with each child about their spiritual growth.
Susanna Wesley's faithful response to God's call had far-reaching consequences. Two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley, went on to become the founders of Methodism, a movement that would shape the spiritual landscape of England and beyond. Susanna is now known as the "Mother of Methodism," not because she founded a church or published theological treatises, but because she answered God's call in the ordinary circumstances of her life with extraordinary faithfulness.
A Divine Encounter: Mary and Elizabeth's Joyful Meeting
As we turn to our passage from Luke, we see another woman whose faithful response to God's call would have world-changing consequences. Mary, a young woman from Nazareth, has just received the astonishing news that she will bear the Son of God. Her immediate response is to "hurry" to visit her relative Elizabeth, who is also experiencing a miraculous pregnancy.
The scene that unfolds is filled with joy and wonder. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately recognizes the significance of Mary's pregnancy. Her unborn child, John the Baptist, leaps in her womb at Mary's greeting. Elizabeth blesses Mary, saying, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!" (v. 42)
This passage, known as the Visitation, takes place shortly after the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary and before the birth of Jesus. It's a moment of confirmation and celebration, where two women, both experiencing miraculous pregnancies, come together in faith and joy.
Unpacking the Magnificat: A Model of Faithful Response
Mary's response to Elizabeth's greeting is the beautiful song of praise we know as the Magnificat. In this song, we see several key aspects of Mary's response to God's call that can serve as a model for our own lives:
1. Humility: Mary acknowledges her "humble state" (v. 48). She recognizes that God's choice of her is not due to her own merit but to God's grace.
2. Joy: Mary's soul "glorifies the Lord" and her spirit "rejoices in God my Savior" (v. 46-47). Despite the challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead, Mary's predominant response is one of joy.
3. Recognition of God's character: Mary speaks of God's might, holiness, and mercy (v. 49-50). Her response is grounded in a deep understanding of who God is.
4. Awareness of God's larger purposes: Mary's song looks beyond her personal circumstances to God's actions in history and his promises for the future (v. 51-55). She sees her role as part of God's larger plan of redemption.
5. Trust: Underlying Mary's entire response is a profound trust in God. As Elizabeth notes, "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" (v. 45)
The Magnificat echoes themes found throughout the Old Testament, particularly in Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. It reflects God's consistent pattern of using the humble and lowly to accomplish His purposes, a theme that runs through the entire biblical narrative.
From Ancient Song to Modern Lives: Applying Mary's Example
As we reflect on Mary's response, we might ask ourselves: How do we respond to God's call in our own lives?
First, we recognize that God does call each of us. We may not receive a visitation from an angel or a dramatic vision, but God speaks to us through Scripture, through prayer, through the nudging of the Holy Spirit, and through the circumstances of our lives. Like Susanna Wesley, we may find our calling in the ordinary responsibilities of our daily lives. Or like Mary, we may be called to something that seems far beyond our capabilities.
Second, we can cultivate the attitudes we see in Mary's response:
- Humility: Recognizing that our calling is not about us, but about God's grace working through us.
- Joy: Finding delight in serving God, even when the path is difficult.
- Divine Awareness: Grounding our response in a deep understanding of God's character and promises.
- Kingdom View: Seeing our individual calling as part of God's larger work in the world.
- Trust: Believing that God will equip us for whatever He calls us to do.
Third, we can look for ways to put our calling into action. Mary didn't just sing her song and then return to business as usual. She embarked on the challenging journey of bearing, raising, and supporting the Son of God. Susanna Wesley didn't just have good intentions for her children's spiritual formation; she created specific practices to nurture their faith.
What might this look like in our lives? As followers of Christ, we know that God calls all of us to be his witnesses with our time, talents, gifts, and service. However, God may call us individually or as a family or as a congregation to specific people, tasks or ministries. What our response to God’s call looks like depends upon both the general call of God upon our lives, and God’s specific call for us at different times and under different circumstances.
Perhaps it means volunteering at a local shelter, starting a Bible study in our workplace, or being more intentional about sharing our faith with our children. Maybe it means pursuing further education to better serve in our calling, or using our skills to support the work of the church. Or it could mean simply being more attentive to the needs of those around us and responding with Christ-like love. Whatever action our call takes, our response begins in our hearts, as it did with Mary when the angel Gabriel who told Mary that God had chosen her to bring into the world a baby whose name was Jesus. Mary’s reply to Gabriel’s news was simply, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Advent's Invitation: Joining God's Ongoing Work
As we stand on the threshold of Christmas, Mary reminds us that Jesus' birth is not just an event, but an invitation – an invitation into the mysteries of God's plan. Part of this mystery is the people God favors by "lifting up the humble" and "filling the hungry with good things" (v. 52-53). As Jesus reminds us in the Beatitudes, both the humble and the hungry are blessed.
In this final week of Advent, we listen again for God's call in our lives. We cultivate hearts that, like Mary's, are ready to respond with humility, joy, and trust. And when we do, we find ways to put our calling into action. Our faithful response, like Mary's and Susanna Wesley's, can have impacts far beyond our imagination.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, we can sing with Mary, "My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (v. 46-47).
Prayer: Embracing Our Call
Lord, open our ears to hear your call and our hearts to respond with joy and trust. Help us to see the opportunities you place before us each day to participate in your work of redemption. May our lives, like Mary's, magnify your name. Amen.
Reflections for the Week Ahead: Echoes of the Magnificat
Monday: Read Luke 1:39-55 slowly. What word or phrase stands out to you? Reflect on why this resonates with you today.
Tuesday: Consider a time when you felt God calling you to something. How did you respond? What can you learn from that experience?
Wednesday: Meditate on the phrase "For the Mighty One has done great things for me" (v. 49). What great things has God done in your life? How can you express your gratitude today?
Thursday: Reflect on Mary's humility. In what areas of your life might pride be hindering your response to God's call?
Friday: Mary's song speaks of God's actions in the world. How can you participate in God's work of lifting up the humble and filling the hungry today?
Saturday: As we approach Christmas Eve, take some time to write your own song of praise, inspired by Mary's Magnificat. What would you inclu
