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SING A NEW SONG: CANTICLE OF THE TURNING

By: John Reiter

Posted: January 20, 2023

Category: Daily Devotional

Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

This is one of my favorite Advent hymns, especially if sung at a lively pace. The hymn captures Mary’s song from Luke (known as the Magnificat) as she reflects on what it means for her to be carrying God’s son. I love that the lyrics capture the faith of Mary in responding to God’s call. We also hear of the promises that are foretold with the coming of Jesus. As disciples and followers of this infant, we hear that His birth will bring about changes in Mary, in us, and in our world. In my own faith journey, I have been particularly moved by verse 3: “From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone. Let the king beware for your justice tears every tyrant from his throne. The hungry poor shall weep no more, for the food they can never earn; there are tables spread; every mouth be fed, for the world is about to turn.” The hymn is filled with images of hope and promise for a better world with the coming of Christ. It is also clear that this is not just due to the actions of Jesus. We too are called to participate in turning this world right-side up and to help bring about the Kingdom of God.

Prayer

Merciful God, strengthen me to not lose sight of how this world could and should look. Empower me to be Your agent of change in this world and help me to show Your love to everyone I meet today. Amen.