Monday, December 22, 2003
4th Week of Advent

1st Reading: 1 S 1:24-28
Gospel: Lk 1:46-56

And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit exults in God my savior!
He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness,
and people forever will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
Holy is his Name!

From age to age his mercy extends
to those who live in his presence.
He has acted with power and done wonders,
and scattered the proud with their plans.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones
and lifted up those who are downtrodden.

He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He held out his hand to Israel, his servant,
for he remembered his mercy, even as he promised our fathers,
Abraham and his descendants forever."
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned home.

Commentary

Mary's song invites the Church to praise and prophecy. To praise: to celebrate, as we do too seldom, the sheer kindness and graciousness of God; to truly delight in the fact that our God is a God who sees the lowly and lifts them up. To prophecy: to challenge the world with the new world Mary sees God bringing into being, a world where the powerful, rich and proud are brought low, and the lowly, the hungry and the poor are raised up and cared for. Mary's song becomes our song, when we rejoice in the beauty of our God and when we strive to overturn the world's secure arrangements of power and wealth.

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