Luke 1:39–56
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
(ESV)
Movements of Joy
Maybe you have had times where you spontaneously hosted or planned to host friends and
family. They arrive, and you put on the coffee and offer some desserts. There is great joy in
seeing someone who comes to visit and share news, or in reuniting after celebrating some
meaningful wins in your life. Growing up, it was common for my family and friends to gather at
our house, but it was always more exciting when someone from out of town visited. I can still
hear my mom or grandma saying, “¡Qué milagro!” meaning, “What a miracle, you have come to
visit!”
After conversations and laughter, we would often turn on music and burst into dancing. It
was a joyful occasion that led to joyful people doing joyful things—the miraculous visit led to
movements of joy.
Luke 1 describes a visit just like that, except this one is filled with divine miracles.
Elizabeth, once barren, is now expecting a child. Mary, a virgin, carries the long-awaited
Messiah by the power of the Holy Spirit. Their meeting becomes a joyful reunion that produces
joyful worship. First, there is a joyful greeting. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and even
the baby in her womb leaps for joy at the nearness of Christ. The miracle enters the house, and
joy immediately moves in response.
Then comes a joyful song. Mary cannot hold back her praise. Her soul “magnifies” the
Lord as she sings of God’s greatness, His mercy, His justice, and His faithful plan to lift up the
humble and bring forth the King of Kings. This is exactly what Christmas produces for us—the
Christmas miracle of the coming Messiah moves us to express joy.
This Christmas season may not be going as you planned. You may feel lonely or longing
to experience God in a deeper way. Let the miracle of the coming Messiah bring you joy. Visit
someone in the community. Sing songs about God’s character. Turn on music and dance. Seek
out community that joyfully awaits and celebrates Christ. Because this miracle creates
movements of joy.
Jonathan Salinas