Lectionary Year B
December 22, 2002
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Luke 1:47-55

Hermeneutical Bridge

(JFC) A. SUMMARY OF SALIENT FEATURES

The major concerns of this pericope include God’s activity in choosing Mary, God’s mercy and might that precipitated the divine actions and God’s praise and glory. So, God is the major concern. This is a very theological passage. The theological center of gravity is God. Mary’s admitted humbleness is close to a major concern. The overturned established order is the next concern of notable import. The eternal and global dimensions of the upset of the social order seem to complete the features we might call salient.

(JFC) B. SMOOTH TRANSLATION

46 And Mary sang, “My very being pays great respect for my Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices greatly in God my Savior, 48 that He would have regard for the humility of His handmaid. For behold from now on all generations will consider me most fortunate, 49 for the Mighty One (God) has done unto me great things and Holy is His name, 50 and His mercy is upon generation after generation of those who respect Him. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm, and has scattered the proud people via the attitudes of their hearts; 52 He has overthrown the rulers from their thrones and has lifted up the unimportant people, 53 the hungry He has filled with good things and the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has received back Israel His servant people, having remembered His loving kindness, 55 according to the proclamations He made to our ancestors, by Abraham and his offspring unto the ages/eternity.”

(JFC) C. HERMENEUTICAL BRIDGE

Daily life through Advent is full of all kinds of anxieties. People are inundated by ressures of commercialism, socializing and temptations to overindulge. Visions of God’s activities might bring some peace of mind, some confidence in the deity and hope in the Messiah. The pericope at hand might shed some comforting light on some of these days’ darkness.



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