The Magnificat
1:46 And Mary said:
‘My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants for ever,
just as he promised our ancestors.’Luke 1:46–55 (NIVUK)
Introduction
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Advent is a season of waiting, but in this final week, our anticipation turns to joy and proclamation. Mary’s song, the Magnificat, offers a profound glimpse into how God works through humble people to fulfill His promises. Her words invite us to magnify the Lord and to live in alignment with God’s transformative vision for the world.
God’s greatness is revealed in humility
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.Luke 1:48–49 (NIVUK)
Mary marvels that God has noticed her—a young, poor, unknown woman from Nazareth—and has chosen her to bear the Messiah. Her response is not pride but praise, recognizing God’s greatness in working through the lowly.
John the Baptist was someone else that understood God’s greatness in humility. When the people wonder whether he could be the Messiah, he makes it very clear that he is not. He says, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). This is a great slogan for all of us to live by, as Mary does in her own way. “He must increase, I must decrease.”
This theme echoes Micah 5:2, where Bethlehem, a seemingly insignificant town, is chosen to be the birthplace of the Messiah. God loves an underdog. He loves an unexpected hero. God delights in exalting the humble to accomplish great things.
We see this most clearly in the person of Christ Himself. In Jesus, God becomes a humble human being. This man would humble Himself even further, even to the point of death on a cross (Php. 2). But, if the death and resurrection of Jesus is anything to go by, humility is where God’s greatness is most clearly seen.
How might God be calling you to magnify Him in an everyday, humble way? Are there small or unnoticed ways you can bring His love and light into the world?
God’s kingdom reverses the world’s values
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.Luke 1:50–53 (NIVUK)
Mary’s song describes God as the One who lifts up the lowly, scatters the proud, and fills the hungry with good things. This is a radical vision of justice that flips societal norms.
In Psalm 80, which is an alternative Psalm for today, there is a refrain that is weaved throughout as a theme for the song: “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Ps. 80:3, 7, 19) The psalmist pleads for restoration, asking God to act on behalf of His people. Mary’s words affirm that God is already at work fulfilling this promise of renewal.
This reversal of the norm pre-empts Jesus’ own ministry, where the first are last, and the meek inherit the earth. The way God works, and the way His kingdom operates, is the opposite to how we tend to think and operate ourselves.
Jesus’ teaching and interactions with children show this, too. When the disciples told the kids off for getting in Jesus’ way, He reverses the situation entirely, inviting the children to Himself and blessing them. Jesus goes so far as saying that children are the greatest in His kingdom.
So, this Advent season, what worldly values or priorities might God be asking you to reconsider? Is He calling you to lift up people that others wouldn’t think of? Is He showing you a way to serve someone that nobody else wants to serve?
God lifts up the humble and fills the hungry with good things. His kingdom completely reverses the world’s values.
God’s promises are true and transformative
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants for ever,
just as he promised our ancestors.’Luke 1:54–55 (NIVUK)
Mary concludes her song by praising God’s faithfulness to His promises. She sees her role in God’s story as part of His covenant with Abraham, fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. What a role to play!
Today’s reading from Hebrews 5 shows us that Jesus’ obedience to God’s will is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem the world. He was appointed and called for a specific purpose, which He faithfully carried out for us, even when it brought Him to “loud cries and tears” (v. 7).
Living in obedience to God’s calling is not always the easy way, but the promises He makes will never let us down. Living as a faithful servant of Christ is short term pain, but eternal gain.
But, with that said, Advent reminds us that God’s promises are not just for the past or the distant future but are alive and active in the present. God’s promises are alive and active because Jesus is alive and active through the Holy Spirit.
Our hope in Christ is not just a future to aim for, but a promise to live in.
Consider how God is inviting you to participate in His ongoing work of transformation. As the people of God, we all have a role to play and gifts to contribute—no one is too old, too young, too inexperienced, too stubborn, too weird, or too normal to participate in His ministry. The body of Christ has many members, after all.
Mary was only one part of the body, humble as she was. Yet, her humility is what gave space for God’s greatness to get to work through her.
Conclusion
Mary’s Magnificat is a call to worship, trust, and action. It invites us to magnify the Lord with our lives, embrace His upside-down kingdom, and trust in His faithfulness. As we approach Christmas, let us, like Mary, proclaim the greatness of the Lord and rejoice in God our Saviour.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Let’s pray…
Gracious God, we thank You for Your faithfulness, for lifting the humble, and for calling us to be part of Your story. Help us to magnify You in our lives and to trust in Your promises as we await the joy of Christ’s coming. Amen.
