The Magnificot

And Mary said, "My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in my Savior God, for he has been mindful of his humble servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Might One has done great things

for me- holy is His name."

Luke 1.46-49

I love the Magnificot. Which is the fancy name for the song of Mary found in the Lukan Christmas story. I find it to be a beautiful and refreshing piece of scripture. Its just happy- and I like happy things.

However, I often think people misunderstand the Maginificot. People often think it is what Mary's response was when told she would be the mother of the Savior of the world. And that is a wrong understanding of what her song is.

The angel came to Mary and dropped the news bomb that would change her life. But Mary's immediate response wasn't to burst into her "My soul glofiries the Lord.." song. First it says her heart was troubled (which is totally understandable reaction for when a heavenly being shows up in your bedroom at night) and then she went into the "What in the heck are you talking about???" mode. The angel explains then the pesky details of the matter and Mary goes... "Umm...ok. Whatever you say." She agrees but to me, her words don't exactly resonate with assurance.

Maybe it is just me, but I like Mary more knowing she wasn't exactly 100% sure of this situation right off the bat. That she went through the scared, confused, and kind of just whatever stages. It was only later, days later, when she travled to visit her cousin that she had found peace and joy in her situation. At first she wasn't singing about this life altering news, she was processing it. And this comforts me. Because if the mother of Jesus (who got news from actual angels) can take time to process what is happening before she finds joy and peace in it, then that make me feel better about how I react when God drops bombs on my life (and I never even get news from angels...).

But Mary also reminds me that eventually I will find peace and joy within situations. That when God works, even if I'm uncertain about what the heck He is doing at the time, that the happiness and singing will come. Its comforting to know that situations that start out as kind of weird and uncertain can become situations in which I end up celebrating and being grateful for.

So I guess above all, the Magnificot gives me hope. Hope that situations that can scare me or make me cry or confuse me can one day make me sing.

Hope that out of disorder and disruption will come order and peace.

Hope that even when I don't totally get what God is doing that it will be for my own good.

Hope that even if I don't understand the means, the end will always make sense and bring joy.