Mary the God-bearer, is often depicted as meek and mild in most retellings of the Christmas story. Quietly accepting the extraordinary events that she is caught up in. Yet these portrayals do her a disservice.
Mary handles the situation much better than many of the others in the Christmas story. Zechariah (John the Baptists Dad) is made mute for 9 months when he doubts what the angel is saying. Mary on the other hand hears the message and although she has questions, accepts what she is being told.
The bit of the Christmas story that almost never gets mentioned in nativity plays across the world is the song that Mary sings about the news that she has received. The Magnificat (the title comes from the opening line, my soul magnifies the Lord) has been set to music by the likes of Vivaldi and Bach but rarely are the words spoken by Mary in the retelling of this story.
The words of the magnificat are revolutionary. They speak out of Mary's context. She is part of an oppressed group of people ruled by the Roman Empire and controlled by them. She is not free, she is not rich, she is not in power. She sees the injustice of the world all around her and she names it. Her words speak of the poor and abused being lifted up and the rich and powerful brought low. These are the words of a woman who knows that the world can be better, can be different and she is ready to fight for that in any way she can.
