My Spirit Rejoices

“I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” She left him there. 1 Samuel 1:27-28

He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. Luke 1: 52-53

Piety

Mary, ever Virgin, Mother of God our Savior, I entrust myself entirely to your loving intercession and care because you are my Mother and I am your child, full of trouble, conflict, error, confusion and prone to sin. My whole life must change, but because I can do nothing to change it by my own powers, I entrust it with all my needs and care to you. Present me with pure hands to your Divine Son. Pray that I may gladly accept all that is needed to strip me of myself and become his true disciple, forgetting myself and loving his reign, his truth, and all whom he came to save by his holy cross. Amen.

(By Thomas Merton and quoted by John Dear in Mary of Nazareth, Prophet of Peace)

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/122207.shtml

Earlier in the Advent season, we reflected on Jesus’ Nazareth Manifesto…his proclamation to serve:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Luke 4:18-19

This passage directly connects to Isaiah 61. In addition, the baby in Mary’s womb also first heard these messages in his mother’s prophetic proclamation to Elizabeth. The Magnificat as proclaimed in Luke 1 introduces themes found throughout the Gospel and alludes to the themes of the Nazareth Manifesto.

Joy and exultation in the Lord: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.

The lowly being singled out for God's favor: The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.

The reversal of human fortunes; He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.

The fulfillment of Old Testament promises.” He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Just as Hannah presented her son to serve the Church, Mary likewise will bring into this world a son and then offers him to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies.

Action

How does this call us to action today?

The Lord truly has blessed us with the accident of place. We were born in a free nation in a society that provides security, comfort and basic needs far beyond what our ancestors even 200 years ago, let alone two thousand years ago, could even dream of experiencing. The Mighty Lord has done great things for me. We were not born in modern Palestine where walls and religion and politics divide people from their neighbors. We were not born in a village in the mountains of Afghanistan. We were not born under a dictatorship. We also were not dropped off by our mothers in some convent or monastery to live a life dedicated to the Lord as soon as we were weaned.

So what do we do about it?

It is now our job to continue this prophetic work of lifting up the lowly and filling the hungry with good things while going about our daily lives. Not just in random acts of charity but in an overall thrust in everything we do. We must remember God’s mercy and offer that to others near us, in our community, across the nation and around the globe that have not been blessed with such favors. It is our job to take Mary’s messages about love and peacemaking and helping others and use them to set our Fourth Day on fire.

From the moment Jesus is conceived in Mary’s womb, everything from this point onward is different. Everything is called into question. Everything changes. What Mary describes is nothing less than a revolution of love and mercy by God. “He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.” Such a revolution would not have been received too kindly by the Roman legions who occupied Palestine.

Mary says that our Cursillo call to action must work for conversion of every level of society. Her prayer calls on us to make God’s preferential option for the poor opposition to injustice a reality. Not just for these lowly handmaids Mary and Hannah. Not just for the helpless baby in Bethlehem. But for all the poor!

Brace yourself for what it means to be dedicated to the Lord.