A Woman of the Song . . .

 

The Song

When a woman in a certain African tribe knows she is pregnant, she goes out into the wilderness with a few friends and together they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the child. They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When the women attune to the song, they sing it out loud. Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone else. When the child is born, the community gathers and sings the child's song to him or her.

Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child's song. When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood, the people again come together and sing. At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song. Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person's bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life. (Internet)

 

Today, our Gospel of Luke (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081520-day.cfm) so fittingly presents to us the Women of the Song.  Their meeting is a prototype of a liturgy of Word and Bread. There is meeting, greeting, blessing, and sharing of the nourishment of their wisdom, wonder, and awe of what God has done for them.

Mary goes with haste and enters the house of Zachariah and greets Elizabeth. Elizabeth, no longer barren, is filled with a child who dances with joy at the recognition of the Word enfleshed within Mary. Elizabeth is bursting with a sense of the holy and sings a song of blessing upon Mary.Her loud cry of blessing is translated with the same words used to describe the loud cry of the Hebrews before the Ark of God’s presence when it was brought into their midst.  Mary is now the living Ark of God and the promise to God’s people has begun to be fulfilled in her.

In response to Elizabeth’s greeting, Mary proclaims a song of liberation for all people; one in which ideals are reversed and the household of God will be peopled by the poor, the hungry, and the ones with no power. 

These women, who stand pregnant in an embrace of joy, laughter, and praise for God’s marvels, will give birth to children of the Magnificat. These children in turn will one day stand together and sing their new song that would be revolutionary as well.  John will sing his song of justice and repentance, daring the people to prepare the way for the Messiah. His voice will ring out like “thunder in the desert.”

Jesus, son of Mary, will hear his song in the desert as well. He will claim his purpose to be Mission, Messiah, and Beloved. He will be Bread for the hungry, Shepherd for the marginalized, and Liberator for the oppressed. His song of the Beatitudes will break through to the hearts open to God’s reign

Mary is oftentimes presented as meek and mild, passive and submissive.  The problem with this interpretation is that it is impossible to reconcile it with the stories we have of Mary in the New Testament: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation, the flight into Egypt, losing Jesus in the Temple, going to bring Jesus home from his public ministry, the wedding feast at Cana, being at the foot of the cross, and Pentecost. No doubt, mindful of her song within, she pondered and treasured each experience of these joyful and sorrowful mysteries.

Certainly, the faith, trust, courage, and strength of Mary’s witness is most especially captured in her song of praise, the Magnificat – of which we hear proclaimed in the Gospel. Truly, the NT does not present a meek, fragile woman, lacking creativity and initiative.  It reveals an upright, resilient woman who put her free will at the disposal of God’s dream for her. This is what the feast of the Assumption celebrates; God remained utterly faithful to Mary through death, as she was unreservedly faithful to God in life.

“Your Yes dares us to believe in the impossible,

to embrace the unknown, and to expect the breaking through of mystery

onto our bleak and level horizons.

The words you heard, Mary, we will forever remember.

We will not be afraid, for the life that you birthed

will not be extinguished in our souls.” (Edwina Gately)

And may we all be blessed to have lived long enough to hear our song within, and to sing it to our world so as to have made a difference with our lives . . .