Luke 1:50-56 Mary sings of God’s power

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.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

We live in a world where strength is idolized as a supreme virtue. From politics, to business, and sadly even through to the school playground, secular society tells us we need to avoid appearing weak. Mary’s song of praise, on the one hand, shows us that this is nothing new – strength has been prized for many millennia – but at the same time, she upends our expectations. God’s strength, while initially described in conventionally physical terms, will overthrow the expected order of our world. God’s strength is a strength that lifts up and brings fulfilment to those our world scorns. Mary’s song is a call to action for those of us who would follow God’s teaching. How can we lift up the lowly and fill the hungry that we encounter in our lives? With God’s help, how can we realize this vision of redemption in our world?