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Filled with the Holy Spirit and carrying the hope of the world, Mary gets a glimpse of God's intention for creation. And we who have been sealed by this same Holy Spirit and marked by the cross of that same Hope for the world are offered that same glimpse of God's intention for creation. |
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Mary's Glimpse Into God's Kingdom
And Mary said, "My soul
magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he
has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from
now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has
done great things for me, and holy is his name. 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 powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in
remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our
ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Luke 1: 46-54
I have spent all week
reading and singing and thinking about the Magnificat. It is
about upward mobility for some of us and downward mobility for
others.
I have heard that there
were times during the height of the British Empire when it was
forbidden in the colonies such as India to read these words.
It may just be myth, but it makes sense.
Filled with the Holy
Spirit and carrying the hope of the world, Mary gets a glimpse of
God's intention for creation. And it looks startlingly
different from human vision. And we who have been sealed by
this same Holy Spirit and marked by the cross of that same Hope for
the world are offered that same glimpse of God's intention for
creation.
As stewards of God's
creation it is important for us to live into that intention and see
the vision of what life in the kingdom looks like. As workers
in the kingdom we need to stay connected to that message so that
what we work toward is the fulfillment of the promise.
As I read that "he has
filled the hungry with good things," I think of the homeless man
that I told you about a few weeks ago during a snow storm. He
came to church that Sunday when only six people did. And he
has been coming since. I am sure he comes as much for a warm
place until the mall opens and hot coffee and some donuts after
church as he does for the fellowship or my fine preaching.
That is okay with me. He has become a part of the Word in this
congregation, that the hungry and the poor are welcome at the table.
Does it make us seem a
little less upwardly mobile that we have such as Norman in our
midst? I hope so. And I am not convinced that our job
with him is to help him to become better at upward mobility,
although we will do what we can to help him. I am convinced
that he has a job among us to call us back to Mary's song and Mary's
child.
God is the one who ushers
in the kingdom. We are just beginning to recognize it as it
comes.
Lord,
Make us a part of your vision for the world and empower us with your Spirit as you did Mary, that we might sing your praise as we serve your will. Amen.
The Rev. Dana Reardon (Mspastor@aol.com) is pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Warwick, RI. A lifelong Lutheran, she came to ordained ministry after 21 years in nursing, mostly in pediatric intensive care. She graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1998 and served 4 ½ years in Upstate New York before becoming a New Englander. She is still trying to understand the accent. While in the Upstate New York Synod she chaired the Stewardship Team. That began her fascination with what makes stewards -- and more, what makes for generosity. She has three amazing daughters: Pastor Izzo says much of what she knows of life she learned from them.
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