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My soul rejoices in my Cod.

In my Iaith tradition only men preach. This has been going on Ior twenty-one
centuries. I have listened to many a sermon about The Magnificat and what it
means. I have even sung and played many musical settings oI The Magnificat. Sad
to say, I have taken Ior granted the song attributed to Mary, courtesy oI Luke.
Today`s text oI the responsorial psalm is taken Irom the Iirst chapter oI Luke`s
gospel, written between A.D. 80-85 and 10 to 15 years aIter the Roman destruction
oI the Temple. This chapter is unique to Luke and not Iound in any oI the other
gospel narratives.
He begins by telling the story oI a heavenly encounter in the Temple. While
perIorming his priestly duties, the elderly Zachariah is visited by an angel, but just
not any angel. This angel is the one who $9,nds in 9e Presence of Cod. This angel
is Gabriel. Zachariah is to be the Iather oI the Messiah`s Iorerunner. II seeing an
angel wouldn`t leave one speechless, this news certainly did.
Six months later, Gabriel makes a visit to an obscure, agricultural village in
lower Galilee. Nazareth was not Iar Irom a major trade route, the 'ia Maris.
Merchants and caravans transported goods all the way to Egypt on this highway.
About 1,600 Iolks lived in this pious Jewish settlement. AIter the Jewish revolt,
many priestly Iamilies resided there. This was a community oI Torah keepers.
Archeology has not uncovered any evidence oI pagan symbolism in the area.
Nazareth didn`t even become a popular Christian tourist attraction until the 6
th

century. Devoid oI any biblical history, not mentioned at all in the Hebrew
scriptures, Iamily ties to Nazareth provided lots oI material Ior the Redneck jokes oI
that era. But Gabriel`s message was no laughing matter.
AIter the Annunciation, the young, single, and pregnant Mary sets out to visit
her kinswoman, Elizabeth. The elderly wiIe oI Zachariah is also pregnant.
Elizabeth can trace her Iamily tree all the way back to Moses` brother, Aaron.
Luke is very careIul in the structuring oI his narrative. He begins his story oI Jesus
in 9e ill coun9ry oI 1ud,. This careIully craIted phrase, is purposeIully chosen
as the backdrop Ior the continuing unIolding oI biblical history.
A mountain range runs the length oI the Holy Land. The ill coun9ry are those
regions along the spine oI the mountains. SigniIicant events occurred in the ill
coun9ry throughout Israel`s history. AIter Isaac`s death, Esau (Jacob`s brother) and


his descendants settled in the ill coun9ry south oI the Dead Sea (Gen.36:8). Moses
sent a party oI spies into Canaan, into the ill coun9ry, where the Amorites lived
(Numbers 13:29). Joshua conquered the northern Canaanite rulers in the ill
coun9ry oI the Jebusites (Josh.11:3), and wiped out the Anakim in 9e ill coun9ry
of 1ud, and 9e ill coun9ry of Isr,el (Josh. 11:21) and u99erly des9royed 9em
wi9 9eir ci9ies. Cities oI reIuge were established in the ill coun9ry oI the tribal
areas oI Naphtali and Ephraim (Josh. 20:7). The southern ill coun9ry oI the
Wilderness was David`s hideout when Saul was seeking his liIe (I Sam. 23:14).
1ud, is the name oI an individual, the name oI a tribe and the name oI a region.
Judah was the Iourth son oI Jacob. Judah receiving the blessing oI his Iather, was
given the area oI highlands between Jerusalem and Hebron (Gen. 49:8-12). Judah
was a non priestly tribe. David was anointed King by 9e men of 1ud, (2 Sam.
2:4). The tribe oI Judah became the state oI Judah during the time oI King David.
Hebron was the capital city.
Having traveled at least 60 miles Irom a village, through the hill country, into
another region, to a city, the young Iarm girl arrives at the home oI Zachariah.
Elizabeth greets her with joy. And Mary sings Elizabeth a song! (This is the point
where Luke`s Gospel becomes Luke`s Opera). The aria she sings is a re-make oI
one she learned in her home town Irom the time she was a child herselI. She sings
verses Irom Psalm 113. Why does Luke put on the lips oI Mary, verses Irom a
psalm that is sung every Passover beIore the meal? To these verses, Mary adds
verses Irom the song oI.Hannah? Luke may have known eyewitnesses to Mary,
and Elizabeth, but Hannah would have only been known on the pages oI Hebrew
scrolls.
Hannah, distraught by barrenness, vows that iI she bore a son, she would
dedicate him to the LORD. Her desperate prayer, made at the Sanctuary at Shiloh,
during an annual pilgrimage, was answered. She became the mother oI the prophet
Samuel. Samuel ruled Israel at the end oI the period oI the Judges. The Lord sent
Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint David as King. Samuel was a transition Iigure in
Israel`s history. He was the last hero oI the pre-monarchial age and the Iirst oI a
long line oI prophets.
Luke`s orderly account reIlects the entire history oI Israel in the embrace oI two
pregnant women. The song oI the mothers oI the Exodus, the mother oI Israel`s Iirst
prophet, the mother oI Israel`s last prophet, and, the mother oI the FIRST & LAST
is heard echoing in the ill coun9ry of 1ud,. How appropriate Ior women to usher
in the Kingdom oI God with joyIul singing! No need Ior conquering weapons, or a
team oI spies. A simple melody will do just Iine. No need oI an elaborate outdoor


Sanctuary, or a grandiose Temple. A joyIul heart Iull oI praise, will be more than
enough.

The Song of Hannah
My e,r9 rejoices in 9e LORD;
In 9e LORD my orn is lif9ed ig.
My mou9 bo,s9s over my enemies,
And I delig9 in Your deliver,nce.

1ere is no one Holy like 9e LORD;
1ere is no one besides You;
1ere is no Rock like our Cod.

Do no9 keep 9,lking so proudly or
le9 your mou9 spe,k suc ,rrog,nce,
For 9e LORD is , Cod wo knows,
And by Him deeds ,re weiged.

1e bows of 9e w,rriors ,re broken,
Bu9 9ose wo s9umble ,re ,rmed wi9 s9reng9.
1ose wo ,re full,
Hire 9emselves ou9 for food;
Bu9 9ose wo ,re ungering, unger no more.
1e LORD brings de,9 ,nd m,kes ,live;
He brings down 9o 9e gr,ve ,nd r,ises up.
1e LORD sends pover9y ,nd we,l9;
He umbles ,nd He ex,l9s.
He r,ises 9e poor from 9e dus9
And lif9s 9e needy from 9e ,s e,p;
He se9s 9em wi9 princes
And ,s 9em ineri9 , 9rone of onor.

For 9e found,9ions of 9e e,r9 ,re 9e LORD'$;
Upon 9em e ,s se9 9e world.
He will gu,rd 9e fee9 of is s,in9s,
Bu9 9e wicked will be silenced in d,rkness.
I9 is no9 by s9reng9 9,9 one prev,ils;


1ose wo oppose 9e LORD will be s,99ered.
He will 9under ,g,ins9 9em from e,ven;
1e LORD will judge 9e ends of 9e e,r9.
He will give s9reng9 9o His king
And ex,l9 9e orn of His ,noin9ed. (I Sam. 2:1-10)


P$ALM 113
Pr,ise 9e LORD!
Pr,ise o serv,n9s of 9e LORD,
Pr,ise 9e n,me of 9e LORD.
Le9 9e n,me of 9e LORD be pr,ised
bo9 now ,nd forever more.
From 9e rising of 9e sun 9o
1e pl,ce were i9 se9s,
1e n,me of 9e LORD is 9o be pr,ised.
1e LORD is ex,l9ed over ,ll 9e n,9ions,
His glory ,bove 9e e,vens'
Wo is like 9e LORD our Cod,
1e One wo si9s en9roned on ig,
Wo s9oops down 9o look on 9e e,vens ,nd 9e e,r9
He r,ises 9e poor from 9e dus9
And lif9s 9e needy from 9e ,s e,p;
He se,9s 9em wi9 princes, wi9 9e princes of 9eir people.
He se99les 9e b,rren wom,n in er ome
As , ,ppy mo9er of cildren.
Pr,ise 9e LORD!
Delma Rouleau
3
rd
Sunday oI Advent
11 December 2011