By John A. Huffman, Jr.
To this Mary responded in words that also are etched in the history of Christendom. They are called "The Magnificat." Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers" (
Luke 1:47-55).
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So the story unfolded. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for approximately three months and then returned to Nazareth. Then we come to that very familiar portion of this narrative when the decree came from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken.
Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem. As we know, there were no vacancies in Bethlehem's inns. So the Christ Child was born in a stable area. The shepherds came. The word spread that something most unique had happened at Bethlehem. However, as far as Mary is concerned, we don't hear much more of her for a while. There is one powerful phrase that capsuled her life, attitude and actions. It reads: "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (
Luke 2:19).
We don't see that much more of Mary. We know of her presence at Jesus' circumcision on the eighth day and in her own purification and presentation of the baby a few days later at the temple in Jerusalem. We know how they fled the wrath of Herod by moving to Egypt and later back to Nazareth. We see her when Jesus was presented at the time at age twelve, again at the wedding feast in Cana and then in casual reference made to her by Jesus. Our last and most vivid view is at the cross when she stands by her Son only to have to learn that the mother-son relationship through Christ's death and resurrection becomes the woman-Lord relationship, as Jesus referred to her as "woman."
So we have revisited Mary. It's healthy, isn't it, to reacquaint ourselves with the biographies of important, biblical characters? How easy it is to forget them and the heritage they are willing to share with us. Yet the intent of this message is not simply to review history. We are endeavoring to apply insights from the lives of these Christmas characters to our lives where we live today.
First, a word to young people: God uses young people!Jesus came in the form of a baby. Mary most likely was a teenager. God has through history used young people.