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. Luke 1:49-53
“Mary attributes nothing to her own merits. She refers all her greatness to the gift of the One whose essence is power and whose nature is greatness, for He fills with greatness and strength the small and the weak who believe in Him.”
Venerable Bede (672-735), a monk at the Northumbrian Monastery in Homily 4 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 565.
As we reflect on the incarnation through the early fathers, and in this case, the role of Mary who carried Jesus into the world, notice how she attributes all glory and greatness to God.
As Bede puts it, she “attributes nothing to her own merits.”
Ponder the implications of this, lest we think to highly of ourselves. We may be involved in a big project or have high profile roles. We may speak, write, teach, or even travel the world…or do other things. You fill in the blank.
But if we want to see ourselves rightly, we realize that we simply carry the message of Jesus, and if we follow the example of Mary, we can only say that He fills with greatness the small and weak who believe in Him.
So let us be like Mary with our generosity and service today, this weekend, this Advent season, and into the new year.
Let us attribute nothing to our own merits and celebrate God’s greatness. Let us rely in His mercy, trust in His strength, and know that He will lift up the lowly and fill us with good things.
And when we follow Mary’s example, imagine how Jesus may be glorified through our lives today!