Narrative Lectionary Program Year – Jesus’ Birth Announced
Luke 1:26-49 [46-56]
Free Additional Resources for Study & Sermon Preparation
Furthering the Power of God’s Story – Narrative Lectionary Commentary
by Pastor Ron Valadez
I absolutely love that Luke opens this narrative with so many strong female characters, giving them each a voice, whose powerful words still echo to this day. This aspect of Luke’s Gospel, the lifting up of female voices, has been appreciated by many, especially in this day and age. However, it should be noted that not all scholars agree that Luke’s intentions concerning women were positive. In his commentary on Luke, Richard Vinson points out that, “In the opinion of these scholars, Luke is all the more damaging because it does not simply treat women as invisible, but spotlights them in order to domesticate them.” (p18) For one example of this, see Jane Schaberg’s commentary on Luke in The Women’s Bible Commentary (link below). That being said, how we use Luke’s words today does not have to be linked to his own intentions. Even if Luke was a typical patriarchal product of his day, we do not have to be. We can still allow his words to lift up the female voice in positive, fruitful ways, even if that wasn’t his goal, thanks to the workings of the Holy Spirit in our proclamation.
By now, especially if you’ve been using the Narrative Lectionary for a while, our congregations are used to long readings. So I wouldn’t hesitate to use the optional verses (46-56), especially if you want to highlight the powerful female voice. I always call this passage, Mary the Badass—and that’s exactly what she is here. It’s easy to just see Mary as this meek, passive character, even submissive (to God’s will). That all might be true to some degree but what we also have here is a character who is not afraid to say (sing) about her hopes and dreams for the world that she lives in. And the world that she lives in is a patriarchal, misogynistic world where the rich and powerful ignore the poor and powerless at best, taking direct advantage of them at worst. It’s a world where widows, orphans, women, foreigners, the poor, the sick, are all given a back seat, contrary to the will of God as we have read countless times throughout the Hebrew scriptures (remember Hannah’s song?). And so, Luke hands Mary the mic, and she does not hold back.
This brings to mind all the ways that music has been used to subvert evil over the years, by artists such as Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, and Childish Gambino. The Magnificat has come to be known for its beauty and inspiration especially during the Advent and Christmas seasons, but we would do well to remember just how subversive it is as well. This song flies in the face of what “normal” is in our society. As the Angel announces the coming birth of the Christ, Mary announces the coming birth of a new normal. And depending on the hearer, the announcement will either sound like beautiful justice, or impending doom—being both law and gospel simultaneously.
Some guiding questions: How much do you think Mary knew? Were these just her hopes and dreams or was there more behind her words? What protest songs have inspired the many generations that sit in our pews? What can we take away from Mary’s submissiveness to God’s will here, while also capturing her strength?
Scripture Reference Links
Luke 1:26-49 [46-56]
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The following links and resources are not produced or maintained by Clergy Stuff. However, at the time of this posting, the links were active and considered to be good source material for proclamation for the text for this week. Please scroll down or click on the quick jump menu you find below. For more free worship resources & planning materials, please visit our links for RCL Worship Resources.
Contemporary Resources
The 50 Best Protest Songs - This list will provide a little something for almost every generation in your pews. Helping them to connect to Mary’s protest song could make all the difference here.
The Subversive Magnificat: What Mary Expected The Messiah To Be Like - by Jason Porterfield, Enemy Love
Women in Luke-Acts: A Redactional View - by Mary Rose D'Angelo, Journal of Biblical Literature
A Good Read
Women's Bible Commentary
by Carol A. Newsom (Editor), Sharon H. Ringe (Editor), Jacqueline E. Lapsley (Editor)
This will be a great companion during our journey through Luke’s Gospel.
Video Resource
Praise Music
Great interpretation of the Magnificat. Depending on your congregation, it could even be used in worship.
Daily Devotional Feed
Free Dramatic Reading For This Text (NRSV)
Readers: Narrator, Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth
Narrator: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said,
Gabriel: Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.
Narrator: But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her,
Gabriel: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
Narrator: Mary said to the angel,
Mary: How can this be, since I am a virgin?
Narrator: The angel said to her,
Gabriel: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.
Narrator: Then Mary said,
Mary: Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.
Narrator: Then the angel departed from her. In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry,
Elizabeth: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.
Narrator: And Mary said,
Mary: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness 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. 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 thoughts 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 helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Narrator: And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.]