Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent

✠ | TODAY'S READINGS

In today's Gospel Reading, we see that Mary was a young girl who received the message from an angel that she would have a child who would be known as the Messiah. From this song, we see the character of who Mary is.  As she demonstrates her love for the Lord and his Word, it is as if we are being taught here about what it means to be humble.

Mary shows to us our need for a savior. In verse 46, Mary says “My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She is giving praise because she understands what the Word is saying and now that the Messiah is coming, there is a need for salvation. Her saying "My soul and my spirit," these are poetic ways for her to say "My whole being will magnify the Lord because I am in need of a Savior."

Mary is rejoicing because she recognizes that God has sent a savior for his people. She first describes God's power in her weakness in verse 49: "For he who is mighty has done great things for me." For salvation, we must come humbly before God and acknowledge our weakness. She also recognizes God's holiness and her sinfulness when she says: "and holy is his name." Holy means that God is without sin and that God is perfect. Jesus paid the debt for our sin so that we could be acceptable before God one day, and his perfect holiness and righteousness could now accept us.

It can also be seen in Mary's song that God keeps his promises. In verse 54, it says: "and he has helped his servant Israel and remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and to his children forever." We are all like sheep that have gone astray. And we needed Jesus to lay his life down for us all. Hundreds of years before Jesus came, prophecies were made that a Messiah would come, and he would save his people. Now that this prophecy was coming true, Mary was rejoicing to God because what he promised is exactly what he fulfilled. As we celebrate Christmas this year with our family, let’s be reminded that Christ came because we needed a Savior and Jesus was that Savior. We have salvation through him and we give thanks for who he is and what he's done.

Travina Quamina, SFC '24