Learning about Mary’s Song of Praise

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.’ And Mary remained with her (Elizabeth) about three months and returned to her home.” Luke 1:46-56 (ESV)

I’m sure we all have special memories of Christmases past and how we observed the season.  I was a teenager, that “wonderful sweet sixteen” time.  At Christmas that year, I was chosen to be Mary for our church Christmas pageant.  My teachers were very biblical in their approach to planning what would be held to dramatize Christ’s coming to earth.  For Mary’s portrayal, they planned the reenactment of the angel’s visit to Mary in the annunciation that she would bear the Messiah.  Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth was also a part of the pageant, as well as the trip Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  That Christmas the account of Jesus’ coming to earth and how it affected the people involved made such a striking and realistic impact on me.  As I studied and tried to understand Mary’s beautiful song of praise, and quoted it with as much meaning as possible to our congregation that night,  I was moved deeply by its depth and meaning.

Mary’s song is her heart’s outpouring at being the chosen vessel for bearing the Lord.  She used anthropomorphisms for God to describe His power:  He has shown strength with His arm… scattered the proud…brought down the mighty…filled the hungry…helped Israel.” Mary’s song of praise magnifies the Lord and stands as a joyful hymn, expressing her faith in the Lord and her knowledge of the Old Testament.  Her song reflects words from Hannah who prayed for and bore Samuel, and words from several Psalms also add beauty and meaning.

I am grateful that at my sixteenth Christmas I was chosen by leaders at my church to portray Mary in the church nativity pageant.  Then Mary became a real person to me, not just a person I had read about or a character in a Bible account.  She was the one chosen to bear the Messiah, the Son of God.  And that she did with humility, grace and obedience.  Praise be to God.  I am grateful for Mary’s insights and the important place she held in God’s marvelous plan.  –Ethelene Dyer Jones 12.08.2013