O Rex Gentium
We see here one of the most exuberant sharing of joy we find in all of Scriptures. Hannah a type of Elizabeth and Mary, an expectant mother sings the praises of God in thanksgiving for His mercy and favour, and Samuel a figure of the person of Jesus the Son of Mary, Emmanuel and as a prophet John the Witness, Son of Elizabeth.
When Mary and Elizabeth meets each other, there is such joy! After Elizabeth who was filled with the Holy Spirit had said those two great statements. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”and “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Mary was filled with gratitude and praise to God for His love, mercy and kindness shown towards her.
The Magnificat is also Mary”s recognition and declaration of God’s love upon humanity. The love of God is compassionate, merciful and gracious. The love of God exults the humble and lowly. God keeps His promises and fulfills them. He never fails. Elizabeth was barren but God gave her John the Baptist. The world was filled with sin but God gave us His only begotten Son, to be our redeemer, king and cornerstone of our lives.
Mary alludes to Hannah’ song, not forgetting that she was always under the influence of the Holy Spirit with all the seven gifts intact. A very high conformity to God. Jesus was living in her at the moment. She was the living Tabernacle. The Sacred vessel of honor and devotion. She is truly the Daughter of the God the Father, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit and the Mother of the Son.
Can we believe that God is for us? That God does not seek our destruction but our healing and redemption? That the promise that is Christmas has been fulfilled for us in Jesus Christ and will come to complete fulfillment in the coming of the kingdom? As we near the end of Advent, we may reflect on how we can be ambassadors so that others can believe that what has been spoken to them will be fulfilled. I think a good way for that is to go back to the words of Elizabeth and Mary.
Osho
