Third Saturday in Advent - December 22nd
1Sm 1: 24-28 / 1Sm 2: 1, 4-8 / Lk 1: 46-56
It's 3 days before Christmas, which means I'm probably in the midst of knitting my red and green sweaters I give every year as presents. Or I’m out buying more eggnog. But I can guarantee you that I’m not thinking about Christ’s birth. For such is the season! But the Magnificat, in today's Gospel, brings us back to what Christmas is all about. As you read the first six lines of the song of Mary to Elizabeth as Mary is pregnant with Jesus, and Elizabeth with John the Baptist, take it slowly, maybe even read it aloud to yourself, and pause at the end of each line.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
My spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations shall call me blessed:
The Almighty has done great things for me,
And holy is his Name.
There's a beautiful simplicity to the Magnificat. While Mary speaks, it can now be anyone of us. Not too many times do we speak from the soul, but rather from our minds. If you take these lines slowly, and with focus, and with faith, it becomes more about how you feel. Saying what God does for us, in raising up the lowly, showing mercy, coming to the help of his servant, must come from the heart. It is about God looking upon us with goodness and sending his Son for our salvation. We can focus too much on the hip and glittery side of Christmas, but right here is the meaning of Christ's birth, the beauty of Christmas. Let the soul proclaim the greatness of the Lord.
Daniel Madden
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Graduate Student in Theology
