“The Spirit of Praise“, by Rev. Mike Holly
Sermon Series: The Christmas Spirit
Mary’s song is an act of worship, anticipating that God was about to do something great and wonderful through the son she would eventually hold in her arms and rock to sleep. The scene we are approaching on Christmas Day is of such great importance that calendars would eventually be reset to the year 0.
Mary’s song, often called the Magnificat due to the first word of the song in Latin, is mainly a song of praise. Mary lifts up God in His greatness and mercy. God remembers His people, something that we encounter years before in the book of Exodus when God hears the cries of His own people in slavery in Egypt. Just as God remembered His people then, God remembers His people again and it is through Mary and Joseph that God seeks to act.
When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate that God never gave up on us. God remembers us. God gives His own Son to be born among us. We invite you this Christmas season to be open to God’s mercy, love and grace — and to serve others in generosity. For just as God remembers us, we remember others for all lives matter to God.
~Mike Holly
The Word
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.”
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