The Third Sunday of Advent

While the world is scrambling around trying to buy happiness, Mary, the favored one of God, sings.  She sings not a song of sentimental Christmas happiness, but a song of joy, because she expects that things will be different, things will change through the birth of her son.  Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46b-55) is the radical proclamation that, in her son, the world is forever changed, turned upside down.  She boldly sings of what God has done, especially for people we don’t normally think of as being blessed.  Mary sings for the lowly, the dispossessed, the hungry and the poor, people like her, claiming that in her womb grows the one who will upend the kingdoms of this world and all their posturing and pretension.  Mary’s song announces that Jesus, God in the flesh, is bread for the hungry, water for the thirsty, liberation for the oppressed, healing for the broken-hearted, and a Way in the wilderness for the lost.  Our calling is to learn the tune and sing along.