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Luke 1:39-55

Mary Magnifies God

December 22, 2024

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Lectionary Year C

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning!
I have a question for you. [hold up magnifying glass] Can you tell me what this is? (a magnifying glass)
You’re right, it is a magnifying glass! Can you tell me what a magnifying glass does? (If you look through it, it makes the thing you are looking at appear larger. Or, if you shine light through it, it focuses the light, making the light brighter and hotter)
You’re right again - a magnifying glass does both of those things! It helps make light brighter and hotter and it helps us see more of the thing we are looking at.

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today’s Bible story, we hear Mary (soon-to-be mother of the not-yet-born-baby-Jesus) say that her soul magnifies God.
In other words, Mary is saying that she’s seeing certain things about God very very well.
She then says what some of those things are that she’s seeing about God.

She says she sees the mercy and strength that God offers.
She sees how God lifts up those, who, like herself, are feeling lowly.
She sees how God fills those who are hungry with good things.

And guess what? By saying and sharing these things that she sees about God, she’s helping to magnify God for the rest of us – she’s helping us to see God better!

SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)

And she’s not the only one who magnifies God for the rest of us.
After Jesus is born and grows up, we see him do the same thing as his mom does in today’s story – he speaks and acts in ways that help us better see who God is.
As we listen to and read the stories of people who magnify God – like Jesus, his disciples, his mom (Mary), his cousin (John the Baptist), etc., then we are learning how to better see who God is
And the better we see God, the more we can be like Mary in today’s story – where we can be magnifiers of God by sharing what we see of God which then helps others see God better.

That is the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,
Dear God,

Thank you for Mary and Jesus…

…and the many others who magnify…

…your love, mercy, and grace…

…that then helps us…

…to magnify your love, mercy and grace with others.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted December 6, 2015

Updated on November 23, 2024

Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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Supplies: A magnifying glass or a printed picture of one (see last page of PDF)

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