Jay D Weaver's Thought for the Week

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And Mary said,
"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.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
For the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm; 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.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
According to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

This ancient prayer is usually attributed to the pregnant Mary. However, some ancient manuscripts attribute it to the pregnant Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. Either way, the prayer is based on Hannah's Prayer⁽¹⁾ found in I Samuel 2:1-10. At the time Hannah prayed, she was pregnant with Samuel.

Both of these prayers are at the heart of the Gospel message. The Good News is for the weak and for the poor. Mary said, "The mighty will be brought low." Jesus said, "The meek shall inherit the earth." Mary said, "The hungry will be filled." Jesus said, "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be filled." Mary said, "The rich shall be sent away empty." Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

If all this is true, then are the mighty and rich excluded from the Kingdom? Is there no way for them to participate? Jesus made it clear what the powerful and rich need to do to participate in the life of the Kingdom. To the powerful, he said, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." To the rich, young ruler, he said, "Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."

And so, this humble man, named Jesus of Nazareth, lived the exemplary life. He fed the hungry, loved the unlovable, raised the sick, and preached a message of hope to the poor. In the end, he laid down his life in a great act of love. He ultimately resisted the urge to fight back. This is the meaning of the cross. He asked us to take up our cross and follow him. First we must exhibit love for our neighbors, including our enemies. We must become the servant of all. We must feed the hungry. Then we too will be fit to enter the Kingdom.

In the process of modeling our lives after Jesus, we take him unto ourselves. We allow him to be born anew into our hearts. Just as God was incarnated into the child in Mary's womb, he is re-incarnated into each of us. That is the Christmas message. May God grant you and yours a most blessed Christmas season.

(1) Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in my God.
My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory.
There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth;
For the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness; for not by might does one prevail.
The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered; the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed."

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