“Blessedness”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Thursday, December 22, 2022
Luke 1:39-56 (Forward, p. 54) CEV p. 1055
The theme of blessedness runs through this entire passage, but what does it mean to be blessed, and in particular, to be blessed by God? The Beatitudes in Matthew’s gospel talk about nine categories of blessedness, but they aren’t necessarily the kinds of blessedness that most of us would naturally want. And, likewise, the blessedness that would mark Mary’s life: was that really what most of us would want—a son who leaves home to be an itinerant preacher, a son who would be slandered and derided, a son who would be eventually arrested, brought to trial and executed? That isn’t the kind of blessedness that I would want.
So, what is the shape of the blessedness that we hear of in today’s passage?
a) Firstly, we hear of the blessedness of being chosen and favoured by God, the blessedness of knowing that God was with her and was pleased by her. How many of us vainly wish for such a thing, maybe from our parents but certainly from God! (One author has surmised that this is the problem of many of today’s men: they never felt affirmed and blessed by their earthly fathers, and so they have trouble that this could be possible with God. And, indeed, how many men ever heard from the lips of their old-style fathers, “Son, I am pleased with you. You have done good.” No, often that was not part of those father’s parenting style.
b) Secondly, we have the blessedness of God’s special commission to Mary. Imagine: she would bare the Messiah, the Promised One, which was the dream of probably countless Jewish maidens of that time period. And, not only that, but God would ‘pull it off’ by His own means. Her child would not be conceived through a biological father, that is, through Joseph, but through the agency of the Holy Spirit. It seemed impossible, but then so too was Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Nothing, the angel said, is impossible with God.
c) And thirdly, we have the blessedness of Mary’s belief in what the angel said and her faith and trust in God, her willing submission to the willing of God. “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it onto me, even as you will.” What a blessing it is when we yield ourselves to the will of God and to His purposes and plans for us and for our world.
Much of this blessedness isn’t exactly most of us would naturally plan for our lives, but then, God has a bigger picture, a picture that is more far-reaching and more beneficial to the world than anything we could ever imagine. And, what is incredible is that He values us, choses us, tasks us, equips us and commissions us to play our unique roles in that incredible plan. So, let our prayer be that of Mary’s: so be it. Lord. Let it be unto me, even as you will. Amen.”
Forward notes: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb” (verse 41a).
“Mary must have needed to escape the rumours about her unusual pregnancy, so she set out to visit her cousin Elizabeth for support. Elizabeth had also conceived in an unusual way after many years of being barren. Gabriel’s news had changed the lives of two women.
“We can feel the intense joy of these two women as they greet one another. Elizabeth is overcome by the spirit and recognizes the special nature of Mary’s coming baby boy. Mary is so overwhelmed she bursts into song and tells of a new world order where everything will be seen in a new light.
“When I learned I was pregnant for the first time, I burst into tears. While I was happy, I was also overwhelmed with fear of becoming a parent. My life was about to change forever.
“Mary’s song is correct. Once her baby arrives, the world will never be the same.”
Moving Forward: “Is there a birth that’s changed your life?”