5 Reflections on Mary's Song for Adventნიმუში

A day is coming when God will bring down the proud and lift up the humble. And Mary’s story is a template for this coming reversal. Breaking the oppression of the powerful and righting the wrongs of history on a global scale might seem like the biggest possible transformation there could be. But this song is about something even bigger and even deeper: ending the curse of sin.

Humanity was exiled from God because Eve had said yes to the serpent. But now Mary has said yes to God. “Adam named his wife Eve because she would become the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20). But Eve also played her part in the coming of death into the world. Now Mary is going to be the one through whom Life enters the world.

The Spirit overshadows Mary just as the Spirit hovered over creation, poised to breathe life into all that God had made (Genesis 1:2; 2:7). Elizabeth’s words to Mary, “Blessed is the child you will bear”, are literally “Blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). Mary is about to bear fruit, just as humanity was supposed to do (Genesis 1:28). She is about to give birth to one who is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). Already, in Nazareth, the curse is beginning to wind back towards blessings.

We speak of Adam and Eve’s first sin as the “fall” of humanity. Humanity was made to live with God, but we fell from this exalted status. We tumbled down and started plunging toward the depths of hell. But through Mary’s son, God “has lifted up the humble” (Luke 1:52). Jesus lifts us up above the stars.

Use the Magnificat to reflect:

Casting down the mighty from their thrones

and lifting up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty.