August 15, 2004

Mindekirken, Aug 15, 2004
Pastor Jens Arne Dale

Luke 1:46-55

Everybody talks about the weather. This last week has been as chilly, as if it had been October, not August. Today it may look like the church year is out of rhythm as well. In Norway we celebrate the annunciation to Mary nine months before Christmas. The conception of Jesus was a miracle, but Mary’s pregnancy lasted for nine months, as is the case for all humans. Here at Mindekirken we use the ELCA text line, and we celebrated Mary’s annunciation right before Christmas. Therefore it’s a great surprise to see the celebration of Mary; mother of our Lord, pop up again in the middle of August. I have no good idea why it is so, but still it’s wonderful to listen to the praise of Mary again.

Magnificat, the praise of Mary for the magnitude and power of God, is one of the most beautiful texts in the Bible. Through out 2000 years, the greatest composers have made music for these words. Organs and choirs have filled cathedrals and churches with the most magnificent interpretations of the great Magnificat. It’s no exaggeration to claim that the great Magnificat has been embraced by some of the musical highlights of the Christian culture.

The magnificent in Mary’s praise stands in a strange contrast to Mary herself. She was a poor teenager whom the angel Gabriel visited with. If you’re not getting speechless by having a visit by an angel, you’re likely to lose your breath by hearing that you’re going to give birth to the Son of God. Mary, however, did not turn mute. Her praise unveils to us an extraordinarily well articulated 14-year old girl. How was it possible for an uneducated young girl to give birth to words, which later have become part of world literature?

The answer might be this: Mary grew up in an environment where the words of the Bible were repeated over and over again. She lived and breathed in the Old Testament. Garrison Keillor told in a funny way on A Prairie Home Companion show a week ago, about Vacation Bible School. There they had to learn all the Bible stories, supposedly they might one day be useful for them. In that way Abraham, Jona and Job became a part of his life. They had to learn about the prodigal son, it would be useful if their own life would look like that one day. Mary had grown up with more than a vacation Bible school. She loved the stories of Samson, Gideon and David. And when the angel came and told Mary that she was having a baby, she could easily relate to Hannah. Do you remember Hannah?

Penninah despised Hannah because she couldn’t have a baby. Deeply troubled she cried and poured out her heart before the Lord. And he answered her. Mary’s praise is to a large extent a repetition of Hannah’s praise when she got her son Samuel. 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 Rock like our God, 1Sam2.1 In this way Hannah sang. Mary knew the words well, and she sings out a similar praise: 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.

Our time flows over with pop melodies where the texts often lack depth and content. Teenagers need something more than the song texts of Britney Spears in order to interpret their lives. Learn from Mary to relate to lasting quality texts. The Bible texts and good hymns may pass on spiritual values. The Word creates what it says. The words of the Bible immediately came to Mary’s mind when she would put words to her excitement and joy for becoming the mother of the world’s savior. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, Mary sang. And for certain, those words have become true.

In the Christian tradition Mary has been called teotokos, the one who gives birth to God. She has been exalted and worshiped, far beyond what the Bible gives us reason to do. Mary is the totally surprising choice of God. Would a teenaged girl be worthy of being used to bring God into this world? The words of Paul might be applied to Mary: "God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. "1 Cor1.29-29

And this is the nucleus of this wonderful text. Mary praises the Lord, not herself. She is filled with joy and gratitude for the grace, which is shown her. Mary’s Song of Praise is a poetic description of God as savior and liberator. He brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. Just before Christmas Saddam Hussein was captured. TV has shown pictures of the once so mighty ruler of Baghdad, exhausted, humiliated and robbed of dignity and previous power. In a TV interview an Iraqi schoolboy said: "We are happy that he is caught, because he took all our food. We had to starve and he took all our money."

Mary’s Song of Praise speaks about revenge over tyrants. "He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. We should be careful to interpret Mary’s song of praise in political terms. But obviously there is a point there. God is on the side of the poor and hungry. God brings down the arrogant who trust their own strength. God removes the conceited rulers.

Our poor and suppressed brothers and sisters in Latin America have for decades read Mary’s Song of Praise as a message of political and social liberation. Here are lots of explosives for the one who would like to have a revolution. Famine, poverty, suffering, humiliation and depression are the condition of far too many people. Mary sings that God will reverse all this, even out and bring social injustice to an end. Mary’s Song of Praise sees the world from the bottom up. It’s words of help for the homeless, those who struggle with sickness and poverty, people who are involved in drugs and criminality. God is on the side of people who struggle with their lives.

When God became a human and came to us, he came as a small vulnerable child, yes even as an unborn baby. The creator borrowed the biological and genetic heritage of Mary; he became flesh and blood as we are. Mary carries in her womb the one who carries the world in his hand. Her breast will feed him who nourishes all things. With her hands, she will protect he who holds his protecting hand over every one of us. Mary will bring up he who blesses our going out and coming in now and forever.

Mary’s song of praise describes the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendents. God’s faithfulness is displayed. Mary was given the unique task of giving birth to Jesus. But we are also given the grace to know him as our savior. Therefor we may sing with Mary about the same joy that she felt, about God who loosens ties and carries our burdens.

Glory be to God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716