Advent 4: Mary ... My Soul Lifts up the Lord!

Mary immediately got up and hurried to the hill country, in the province of Judah, 

where her cousins Zacharias and Elizabeth lived. 

When Mary entered their home Elizabeth (shouting): 

You are blessed, Mary, blessed among all women, and the child you bear is blessed! 

And blessed I am as well, that the mother of my Lord has come to me!

 As soon as I heard your voice greet me, my baby leaped for joy within me. 

How fortunate you are, Mary, for you believed that what the Lord told you would be fulfilled.    Luke 1:39-55

Феодоровская икона со сказанием. Кострома. Вторая половина XVIII в. Музей-заповедник «Коломенское»

Icon: Feodorovskaya ikona so skazaniem

This image is in the public domain; PD-OLD; PD-ART, Transferred from ru.wikipedia

Commentary (The Voice Bible: Stepping into the Story of Scripture)

Mary is deeply moved by these amazing encounters— first with the messenger and then with her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary’s response can’t be contained in normal prose; her noble soul overflows in poetry. And this poetry isn’t simply religious; it has powerful social and political overtones. It speaks of a great reversal— what might be called a social, economic, and political revolution. To people in Mary’s day, there is little question as to what she is talking about. The Jewish people are oppressed by the Roman Empire, and to speak of a King who will demote the powerful and rich and elevate the poor and humble means one thing: God is moving toward setting them free!

Take a deep breath and prepare your heart to listen to Mary, the theotokos (which means Mother of God) as her song of praise pours forth ...

You may want to create a breath prayer to sing the song of your soul as Mary has done ... Use this one or create your own (6-8 syllables is an optimal prayer for breathing) ...

            Breathe in … My Soul praises (pause)      Breath out … You, my God  (pause)

When you feel centered on God and ready to move into the text, pray 
My Soul praises you and lifts you up, O God my Liberator.  As I bask in Mary's Song may I feel your Presence as she did.  Amen.

Lectio (Read) the Passage.  

Take a deep breath, remembering God's movement in your life.  Read the passage slowly, listening to the song deep in your soul as if you were singing with Mary.    If there is a word or phrase that captures your attention, pause on that word or phrase for a few moments before continuing.  Stay with your word or phrase as long at it feels right to do so before moving on in your prayerful journey into the Word.

Read Luke 1:46b-55

Mary: 

My soul lifts up the Lord! 

My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator! 

For though I’m God’s humble servant, God has noticed me. 

Now and forever, I will be considered blessed by all generations. 

For the Mighty One has done great things for me; 

holy is God’s name! 

From generation to generation, 

God’s loving-kindness endures for those who revere Him.  

God’s arm has accomplished mighty deeds. 

The proud in mind and heart, 

God has sent away in disarray. 

The rulers from their high positions of power, 

God has brought down low. 

And those who were humble and lowly, 

God has elevated with dignity. 

The hungry— God has filled with fine food. 

The rich— God has dismissed with nothing in their hands. 

To Israel, God’s servant, God has given help,

As promised to our ancestors, 

remembering Abraham and his descendants in mercy forever.

Meditatio (meditate) on the passage as you read.

Read the passage a 2nd time stopping when your your attention is drawn to the same thought or a new one ... Take time to reflect on how this word or phrase is touching you in this present moment ... How are these questions of the people and the answers that John gives interpreting your life right now?  How might God be calling you to attend to your life?

Oratio  (pray) through the passage as you read.  

Read the passage a 3rd time stopping once again when your your attention is drawn to the same thought or a new one ... How are you being drawn to prayer in answer to this passage and to "rethink everything" in your life?   How do you respond to the One who is coming? 

Contemplation  (contemplation = awareness of God) Rest in the Presence of God ... 

Spend 10 minutes in the silence or as long as you are able ... playing soft unknown instrumental music can help you to hold the space ... before moving back into the world.  How have you been transformed by God through praying the scriptures ... allow your word or phrase to emerge when needed to keep you grounded and connected to God.

If music is a pathway to God for you, you might want to listen to Magnificat (All That I Am) a lovely arrangement by David Haas based on Mary's song on Youtube. The lyrics are written and it is very clearly sung. 

If you would like to pray with the Icon Feodorovskaya ikona so skazaniem which is found above, take this Link for MOSAIC'S "How to pray with an Icon."

Read this quote from Meister Eckhart, 14th century German mystic and scholar ... 

"What good is it to me if Mary gave birth to the Son of God fourteen hundred years ago
and I do not also give birth to the Son of God in my time and in my culture?
We are all meant to be Mothers of God."

O God my Liberator, set my mind free and give me the gentle strength to give birth to the Son of God in this time and in this culture as I embrace my role as "Mother of God."  Amen.