46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Reflection
As it often happens, I learned something new at worship this week. I never knew, or even gave much thought to why one of the four candles on the advent wreath is a different color than the other three. As Joe explained, the candle for the third Sunday of advent is pink, because it represents joy. Traditionally for the Church, advent is a time of prayer, penance, sacrifice, and spiritual reflection. It is a period to both remember the past and look forward to the future. We are to reflect what God has already done for us, while we also look forward to and prepare in hope for the second coming of our Savior. The pink candle symbolizes the joy felt at the birth of our Lord, as well as the joy we have in anticipation of His return.
The Gospel of Luke begins with the account of the birth of John the Baptist, specifically how the angel Gabriel came to John’s father Zechariah and told him that he and his wife Elizabeth were going to miraculously have son named John who would be filled with the Holy Spirit and prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. We are then told how this same angel came to Mary and told her how she was going to conceive and give birth to Jesus the Messiah. From there, the scripture tells us that while they are both pregnant Mary goes and visits her relative Elizabeth and they spend time together celebrating how God has blessed them. It is during this visit that Mary offers the song of praise we have read today.
Reflecting on the pink candle of joy we lit this Sunday and the joy Mary expresses in her song, I was struck on how they both express joy for what God has already done and what God promises to do. I can only imagine how scared Mary must have when she was told she was going to conceive, give birth to, and be responsible to nurture the Messiah. She was an engaged virgin? How was this going to happen? What was this going to mean to her relationship with Joseph? What was she supposed to do after Jesus was born? How could she be a mother to the Messiah? Yet in the midst of this fear and uncertainty, she offered this song of praise. She was thanking God for what God had already done for both her and her ancestors and although her future might have looked very uncertain to her at that time, she was certain that God would continue to be with her not only throughout this journey but forever.
Similarly, as we go through this Advent season and are facing uncertainty in our own lives or in this world, we should reflect with joy on what God has already done for us. For the very lives God has given us and the opportunity we each have to be in relationship with God. Like Mary, although the future may look uncertain, we should look forward with joy and anticipation knowing that God will continue to be with us not only as we continue in our journey through this world but forever.
by Manny Estevez
For Pondering and Prayer
Prayer: Faithful God, may we have joy today as we reflect on what you have already have done for us. As we go through this Advent season may the joy and anticipation we feel for the coming of Christmas Day continue to be with us as we continue to walk in faith and strength every day in knowing you promise to be with us forever. Amen.
