Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord;
my strength is exalted in my God.” I Samuel 2: 1
Our daughter Hannah made it home from Milwaukee last night in spite of the high winds and thick fog. She made it home just in time for her birthday. The day she was born there was also a winter storm. Wind and snow swirled outside the hospital window as I paced the floor dealing with the storm in my body. We named our daughter Hannah in part because of the song Hannah sings in I Samuel after the birth of her son, Samuel.
The song of Hannah’s makes its way to Mary’s lips in the Magnificat. Mary too has a miraculous birth story and continues Hannah’s song of joy and justice for all people. Women normally silenced have something to say, something to sing about in these verses. This is important because Mary is silent in most of our scriptures. In Matthew, Mary is mute, not a word leaves her lips. For his part, the Apostle Paul thinks it is worth remarking that God’s son was born of a woman, but he never mentions her name. But Luke remembers her name and her story. She is not silent in her carrying of God’s child, she has something to say about this miracle, something to sing. Mary sings out astonishing news coming from unexpected lips.
Mary sings out, not just a solo about her own destiny, but a freedom song on behalf of all the faithful poor in the land. She sings a song for all who in their poverty still believe that God will make a way for them. Mary, this woman whose very name means rebellion, sings of a God who will fill the hungry with good things and will scatter the proud of heart. She sings a freedom song.
God 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.
On Wednesday morning I gave a ride to a friend’s daughter to Lincoln Park where she goes to middle school and I work. It has become a daily ritual for us and sometimes we stop at Kwik Trip for snacks. That morning she announced that she was going to be Mary in her church’s pageant. “And did you know,” she added, “Jesus was black.”
“Yep, and Mary looked a lot like you I think.” I answered.
Yes, as bel hooks taught us love and justice often comes from those on the margins. We will need to work together with our God to feed the hungry, to lift up the lowly, to sing and live out these songs. It seems the world needs this song more than ever right now. Can we sing these songs of Hannah and Mary? As one commentator wrote, ‘This song is so pointed it sticks in my throat. If I am going to sing with Mary I will need her help. She will have to take the lead. It is hard to take on this tune, it will require us to risk something.”
Let us dare to pick up these songs and sing them out with our very lives. “Here we are, servants of the Lord.” May our lives and songs magnify our God at work in the world.
Comments are closed.