Unexpected: Five Women in the Lineage of JesusSample

Mary: “The Magnificat”

By Megan Brown

Today’s passage is a well-known and well-loved portion of Scripture: “The Magnificat.” During the Christmas season, we often sing choruses, hymns, and praise songs built from the powerful praise words of Mary found in the book of Luke. For many believers, “The Magnificat” has served as a sacred song of liberation—a reminder of hope, freedom, and justice.

As author Kat Armas suggests, for many marginalized communities, the irony of Jesus being born to a marginalized woman provides a tangible image of hope. In the refrain of this passage, Mary names the ways she saw God move and proclaims God has indeed done great things!

A careful reading of this passage also illustrates Mary’s gratitude and observations of God’s movement.

First, Mary offers praise to God, mirroring Hannah’s praise in 1 Samuel 2. Much like the Psalms of David, Mary proclaims God’s goodness, action, and care for the disenfranchised while pointing back to God’s sovereignty, provision, care, and goodness.

Ultimately, Mary’s song of praise is not only about her and the goodness of God but also about the blessedness of all who follow and surrender to God’s work and plans. Mary is calling readers and hearers to praise God and take note of God’s provision, working, and Kingdom ways of acknowledging those who are perceived as the outcast, poor, downtrodden, and weak of society.

What a treasure these verses provide to this day, thousands of years after Mary first uttered them! May they give us reason to pause and reflect on God’s provision, call, and unexpected working among us today.

Questions:

1. How do the words of today’s passage bring you hope?
2. What do you need to praise God for in this season of your life?
3. How has God called you “blessed” and demonstrated that He is working in your life?