Breaking the Word

4^th Week of Advent, Wednesday – 22^nd December 2021 — Gospel:  Lk 1,46-56

God of the Anawim

The Mary’s hymn of praise reveals God primarily as a God of the poor. God is the one who will vindicate the poor by removing the rich and mighty from their positions and raising the lowly.  God has shown his mercy and goodness to the poor by showing the strength of his arm, by scattering the proud, and deposing the powerful. The poor, on the other hand, have been raised, and the hungry have been filled. God remembers not only those of old but also the present generation. He is a God not only of the past, but also a God of the present, the now.  The hymn may be seen to be divided into four parts. The first part consists of praise to God for what he has done in and for Mary. The second part speaks of God’s power, holiness and mercy. The third part shows God acting as a Sovereign in reversing social conditions in favour of the poor and downtrodden. The fourth part recalls God’s mercy and promises to Israel.

In a world where the rich seem to be getting richer and the poor, poorer, one wonders whether the Magnificat is a hymn that can make sense to the poor, to those of low degree. Yet, it is important to remember that God’s ways are not our ways and so, the poor must, in confidence, sing this song as their song. Mary’s song expresses her confidence. She uses past tense to denote God’s future actions. Thus, expressing that God will indeed accomplish His will, and the poor will be vindicated.

4th week of Advent, Tuesday – 21^st December 2021 — Gospel: Lk 1,39-45

Community Models of Sharing and Celebration

The two story lines, annunciation to John’s father, Zechariah, followed by an annunciation to Mary, the mother of Jesus, juxtapose at the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth in the visitation. Both, Mary and Elizabeth, had a religious experience that they understood only partially. When they exchange their experience, their individual experience becomes community experience and in the process finds full meaning.  Mary enters Elizabeth’s house, where for several months she shared her hospitality. Mary’s simple human greeting becomes the good news of salvation for Elizabeth and her household. Prompted by the Spirit, Elizabeth singles out Mary’s faith and her blessedness. She exclaims in wonder that she has been found worthy to give hospitality to the mother of her Lord. She is the first in a long line of characters in this Gospel who give hospitality to Jesus, who in turn was drawn into the hospitality of God. The integration of two women and their stories not only floods out in faith, but overflows in knowledge, testimony and celebration. In the meeting of these two women, in the hospitality they exchange, we see the beginnings of the community that will share and celebrate the blessings of salvation.