Holy Exaggeration

Luke 1:46 “My soul glorifies the Lord”.

What do people do when they have an encounter with the Lord? Whatever else they may do, they start moving. The angel Gabriel has just told Mary that she will be the mother of the Son of God. Mary surely has incredibly mixed feelings. She will be privileged to give birth to the Messiah; yet being unmarried she will undoubtedly become the object of skepticism and ridicule. But, she is so anxious to observe the sign the angel told her about her relative Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy, so instead of sitting still in Nazareth she packs up and makes the long journey to Elizabeth’s house. Luke 1:36. When she arrives the baby in Elizabeth’s womb gets moving too, and leaps for joy.

When Mary’s feelings are voiced, she sings a song the church has echoed for centuries. It is traditionally known as “The Magnificat” from the Latin “to glorify” or “to magnify”. My soul glorifies (or magnifies) the Lord”, Mary sings.

The word “glory” in the NIV is perfectly accurate, but “magnify” offers some refreshment to the imagination. There are two kinds of magnification: the kind that makes the small seem big, as in a microscope; and the kind that shows what seems small to actually be big, as in a telescope. The world’s glories are the microscopic variety; what is really tiny is made to look big. God’s glory is the telescopic variety. As with the pinpoints of light in the night sky, so with the embryo in Mary’s womb; what seems small is discovered to be gigantic when seen through the lens of faith.

Mary exaggerated what the world neglected. That is what Mary did the day she sang her praise to God. It is clear from her Son that God also exaggerates what the world neglects, and neglects what the world exaggerates. The lowly will be lifted up, and the high and mighty will be brought down. Praise is a great corrective lens for existence. To learn to glory in what God glories is to see things as they really are.

Praise God and be moved!

The Magnificat:

"The Magnificat (Latin: [My soul] magnifies) — also known as the Song of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung (or spoken) liturgically in Christian church services. The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:46-55) where it is spoken by the Virgin Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with the future John the Baptist, the child moves within Elizabeth's womb. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith, Mary sings what is now known as the Magnificat in response.

The canticle echoes several Old Testament biblical passages, but the most pronounced allusions are to the Song of Hannah, from the Books of Samuel (1Samuel 2:1-10). Along with the Benedictus, as well as several Old Testament canticles, the Magnificat is included in the Book of Odes, an ancient liturgical collection found in some manuscripts of the Septuagint.

Within Christianity, the Magnificat is most frequently recited within the Liturgy of the Hours. In Western Christianity, the Magnificat is most often sung or recited during the main evening prayer service: Vespers within Roman Catholicism and Evening Prayer (or Evensong) within Anglicanism. In Eastern Christianity, the Magnificat is usually sung at Sunday Matins. Among Protestant groups, the Magnificat may also be sung during worship services."

Song Lyrics: The Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, God Almighty, open our mouths to praise you, God of wonder, God of love. Teach us to exaggerate what the world neglects and to maximize what sin minimizes. In Jesus’ name I pray this day. Amen.