A Mother's Song for Mother's Day

A Mother's Song for Mother's Day

She fashions her song after the ancient pattern of God's hope for the poor and the powerless. Hannah had sung much the same song when her son Samuel was born. God exults within her spirit to proclaim a reversal of the fortunes of the rich and the powerful.

Then when Mary submits to God's declaration that she will be the Mother of Jesus, again God's spirit exults in Mary with the ancient pattern of God's hope as declared throughout all scripture. God's hope is that the Rich will reach out to the poor with Generosity.

How do you suppose Mary looks upon our world, our politics, and the fact of poverty?

In Mary's own Words:

The Song of Mary    Magnificat 
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * 
    for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: * 
    the Almighty has done great things for me, 
    and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him * 
    in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, * 
    he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * 
    and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, * 
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * 
    for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, * 
    to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * 
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. 

You will notice here that God's Economics finds its heart in Mary on behalf of Jesus. Jesus will live for the sick, the poor, and the outcast. He will live that way, preach that way, die that way, and rise again to new life for the same reason.

The Primary concern for Mary the Mother of God spells out the Primary Concern of God and Jesus too.

Need I spell it out: 
     God scatters the proud in their conceit.
     God casts down the Mighty form their thrones.
     God fills the hungry with Good Things.
     God sends the rich away empty.

When we come to Mother's Day, let's remember the Mother of God. She sings and exults in God's reversal of the weak, the hungry, and the poor, over the powerful, the privileged and the rich.

Read the Scriptures of any faith tradition; Christianity, Judaism, Islam and you will find a bias there for the poor.

In view of the fact that we must one day give account of how we've spent our days here, we must of course factor in our concern for the poor. How well are we doing in that department?

Just a question.

In the meantime, sing on Mary and my your soul always exult in God.

Happy Mother's Day,
Fr. Paul