based on Luke 1.46-55
and its Hebrew Bible sources
[ three voices ]
and its Hebrew Bible sources
[ three voices ]
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This dramatic reading was written to show how the announcement of a coming Saviour fit fully into the history and expectations of God’s people, how the Lord Almighty is a God of justice who watches over the needy, and how this God will be manifest in Jesus.
Early on in his gospel, Luke is set on establishing just who is this figure of Jesus. The archangel Gabriel pays a personal visit to a young maiden in Nazareth, a town in the outlying region of Galilee. He addresses her with words of blessing and strong encouragement: “Greetings, favoured one. The Lord is with you.” These are words not normally spoken to a lowly woman, let alone by an archangel. A most unusual event that does not follow the standard order of things is about to happen.
And the words which followed announced events that must have been unimaginable to her — and at the same time, most terrifying: “You will bear a son who will be called the Son of the Most High, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever.” Only God could accomplish all this, and why God would have chosen her?
Mary is faithful and undaunted: “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Her song of response strongly echoes the longings and hopes of the people of Israel throughout their history. It resonates through the words of Hannah, Leah, the Psalmist and Isaiah. It attests to God’s faithfulness and the blessings they have received from his hand. The song also emphasizes the steadfast righteousness and mercy of God, who promises a kingdom of justice and compassion.
Presentation time: 9 minutes
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The Reading
| A | Gabriel, messenger of God spoke to a virgin from Nazareth named Mary and told her |
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| B | “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you will name him Jesus | |
| A | 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 | |
| B | He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end” | |
| A | Mary said | |
| C | “Here am I, the servant of the Lord let it be with me according to your word” | |
| A | Later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth | |
| C | When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit | |
| A | In a loud voice she exclaimed | |
| B | “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! | |
| C | Blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the LORD | |
| A | would be fulfilled” | |
| A | And Mary said | |
| C | “My soul glorifies the Lord | |
| B | and proclaims the greatness of the LORD | |
| C | My spirit exults | |
| B | and rejoices in God my Saviour | |
| C | for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant From this day forward all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One | |
| B | the Almighty | |
| C | has done great things for me — | |
| B | holy is his name | |
| C | His faithful love extends to those who fear him from generation to generation | |
| B | from one age to the next | |
| C | He has performed mighty deeds with his arm | |
| B | he has routed the arrogant of heart | |
| C | He has pulled down rulers from their thrones | |
| B | but has lifted up the lowly | |
| C | He has filled the hungry with good things | |
| B | but has sent the rich away empty | |
| C | He has come to the help of his servant Israel fully mindful of his faithful love | |
| B | according to the promise he made to our ancestors | |
| C | fully mindful of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever”” | |
| A | Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home | Luke 1.31-56 |
with the heart and voice of Hannah
| B | Mary was blessed. | |
| A | For she believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled She spoke as with the heart and voice of Hannah and many of God’s people before her | |
| B | Hannah had prayed to the LORD in the bitterness of her soul that he remove the shame of her barrenness | |
| A | And when God had blessed her she dedicated her son, Samuel, to the LORD, saying | |
| C | “My heart exults in the LORD in my God is my strength lifted up There is no Holy One like the LORD indeed, there is none but you There is no Rock like our God | 1 Samuel 2.1-8 |
| A | The bows of the mighty are broken
but the feeble are now girded with strength | |
| C | Those who were full are hiring themselves out for bread
but the hungry need labour no more | |
| B | the barren woman bears sevenfold but the mother of many is left desolate | |
| A | The LORD makes poor and makes rich he brings low, he also exalts | |
| B | He raises up the poor from the dust He lifts the needy from the ash heap to give them a place with princes and assign them a seat of honor” | |
with the heart and voice of Eliphaz
| B | Mary was blessed | |
| A | For she believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled She spoke as with the heart and voice of Eliphaz and many of God’s people before her | |
| B | Eliphaz was Job’s friend, who counselled him
after he received his great misfortune saying | |
| C | “The works of God are great, past all reckoning marvelous things without number | JOB 5.9-16 |
| A | He sends down rain to the earth, pours down water on the fields | |
| C | He sets on high those who are lowly and those who mourn are lifted to safety | |
| B | The LORD frustrates the plans of the crafty so that they cannot succeed in their intrigues | |
| A | But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth from the hand of the mighty | |
| C | So the poor have hope and injustice must shut its mouth” | |
with the heart and voice of Leah
| B | Mary was blessed | |
| A | For she believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled | |
| B | She spoke as with the heart and voice of Leah the wife of Jacob | |
| A | and many of God’s people before her | |
| B | Leah exclaimed at the birth of her son, Asher, saying | |
| C | “What happiness! All women will call me blessed!” | Genesis 30.13 |
with the heart and voice of the psalmist
| B | Mary was blessed | |
| A | For she believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled She spoke as with the heart and voice of the Psalmist and many of God’s people before her | |
| C | “My soul praises God from my heart let the humble hear and be glad Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD let us acclaim his name together |
Psalm 34.2,3 |
| "Holy is he, and mighty!" You are a king who loves justice, who insists on honesty, justice and virtue as you have done for Jacob” |
Psalm 99.3,4 | |
| A | “Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has performed wonders his right hand and his holy arm have scattered the enemies and gained for him the victory” |
Psalm 98.1, 89.10 |
| B | “When the LORD builds Zion anew, he will be seen in his glory he will answer the prayer of the abandoned and will not scorn their petitions God leaned down from the heights of his sanctuary has looked down from heaven to earth to hear the sighing of the captive and set free those condemned to die” |
Psalm 102.16-20 |
| C | “He raises the poor from the dust he lifts the needy from the ash heap to give them a place among princes He lets the barren woman be seated at home the happy mother of sons” | Psalm 113.7-9 |
| B | “He has fed the hungry to their hearts' content filled the starving with good things” | Psalm 107.9 |
| C | “He remembers his covenant for ever the promise he laid down for a thousand generations the covenant he made with Abraham the oath he swore to Isaac” | Psalm 105.8,9 |
with the heart and voice of Isaiah
| B | Mary was blessed | |
| A | For she believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled She spoke as with the heart and voice of Isaiah and many of God’s people before her | |
| B | Isaiah was a prophet of the LORD who proclaimed God’s might and justice | |
| C | “Yahweh is the everlasting God, his understanding is beyond fathoming | Isaiah 40.28-30 |
| A | He gives strength to the weary | |
| B | he strengthens the powerless | |
| A | Young men may grow tired and weary, the young stumble and fall | |
| B | but those who hope in Yahweh will regain their strength” | |
| A | “For thus says the High and Exalted One whose name is holy | Isaiah 57.15 |
| C | 'I live in a high and holy place, but I am also with the contrite and humble | |
| A | to revive the spirit of the humble | |
| B | to revive the heart of the contrite” | |
| C | “Here is Lord Yahweh coming with power his arm subduing all things to him | Isaiah 40.10 |
| A | the prize of his victory is with him” | |
| C | ”He reduces princes to nothing | Isaiah 40.23 |
| B | the rulers of the world to mere emptiness” | |
| C | “I shall recount Yahweh's acts of faithful love, Yahweh's praises in return for all that Yahweh has done for us | Isaiah 63.7 |
| A | for his great kindness to the House of Israel | |
| B | for all that he has done in his mercy | |
| C | for the abundance of his acts of faithful love” | |
Closing
| A | With her one voice, | |
| C | Mary spoke with the voices of many of God's people who came before her | |
| B | At the same time, she spoke to all those to come after her | |
| A | She spoke of promises of mercy and salvation fulfilled | |
| B | and promises yet to be fulfilled | |
| B C | “My soul glorifies the Lord | |
| A | and proclaims the greatness of the LORD | |
| A C | My spirit exults | |
| B | and rejoices in God my Saviour” | |