Hail Mary – Full of Grace

Mary’s song is often called the “Magnificat” because of the first word in its Latin translation: Magníficat anima mea Dominum (“My soul magnifies the Lord”). It’s an annual refrain for the church: an angel visits an ordinary young woman, gives her good news of great joy – and she lifts her voice to sing!

There’s something we need to know about Mary!  This woman who courageously said “yes” to the Angel Gabriel.  Yes, to God.  And then spoke a Manifesto, the Magnificat, proclaiming the topsy-turvy world to come with the impending birth of the Messiah.

The coming of the Messiah is proclaimed, not by high priests or emperors. Instead, two marginalized, pregnant women—Mary - young, poor, and unwed, and Elizabeth - far beyond the age to conceive—meet in the hill country of Judea to celebrate their miraculous pregnancies. Elizabeth’s son John the Baptist will prepare the way of the Lord. Mary’s son Jesus will redeem the world. The two share blessings, express astonishment and sing songs. Mary, this young, unwed, pregnant woman—a thoroughly marginal person in her culture—proclaims one of the most important prophetic words in Scripture - Mary’s song, her Magnificat.

Mary herself seems amazed at what has happened: “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”. The rest of her song proclaims the beginning of the upside-down world to come: “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”. Mary, an unwed, pregnant woman, proclaims the promised future of God.  The Magnificat states the politically, socially, and religiously subversive character of Jesus’ arrival.

Mary’s Magnificat is a political manifesto, delivered in the home of Zechariah, an official temple priest, who is married to her cousin Elizabeth.  Mary’s manifesto shows deep thought, strong conviction, and a good deal of political savvy.

Mary, bold, independent, adventuresome, agrees to bear a holy child for a bold agenda: to bring the mighty down from their thrones; to scatter the proud in the imagination of their hearts, to fill the hungry with good things and send the rich away empty.  This is Mary: well-spoken, wise, gritty.

Mary was not meek, mild, and mindless. She was courageous and bold. Mary trusted that she, a young, insignificant teen, had found favor with God and never looked back.  She said “yes.”  Mary didn’t say “Let me get back to you” – instead she said “Let it be with me according to your word.”    Mary’s outrageous act of faith was trusting that she had found favor with God.

Traveling alone, like every prophet before her, she sets out on her first journey, to her cousin Elizabeth’s house, a distance of some 70 miles.  There will be more journeys: to Bethlehem for the census; to Egypt and back to escape Herod’s decree to kill all boys two and under; to the Temple in Jerusalem when Jesus is twelve; to Jerusalem again when he is crucified.

Mary gives birth in a barn and welcomes shepherds in the middle of the night. She is determined, holy, strong. Mary beckons women everywhere to speak out for God’s justice, which is waiting to be born into this world.

The gospel is first celebrated by two pregnant women laughing and singing.  The gospel enters the world through a young, unwed mother and a child laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn.

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you.  Not Hail Mary, full of virtue, full of connections, full of wealth and power, the Lord is with thee.  Nope – Hail Mary, full of grace.  The one thing you simply cannot earn.  What qualifies us for God’s grace is nothing more than our need for God’s grace.

We can be like Mary.  We are ALL called to share the Good News.  Like Mary, we can all hear a divine “yes” this season.  “We are all called to be mothers of God – for God is always waiting to be born.” – Meister Eckart, 13th c. German mystic.

God of delight, God of celebration, God of good news of great joy for all people – help us to lift our voices in song. Even among the shadows of sorrow and despair, help us rejoice in what you have done and what you will do. With Mary, let us sing of how you lift up the lowly, scatter the proud, and fill the hungry with good things. Come, Jesus, come! Amen.