![]() Philippe de Champaigne When the chosen mothers, Elizabeth mother of John the Baptist, and Mary mother of Jesus Christ, the ministry of John the Baptist begins, even without being born. Both mothers are filled with the Holy Spirit after John leaps in womb with Elizabeth exclaiming that Mary will be the mother of “my Lord” and pronounces a blessing on Mary. Mary in turn sings a song for joy (Mary's Magnificat) inspired by the prophesied miraculous birth. However, contrary to normal expectations, “for only in verse 48 does Mary dwell on the personal benefits of being the mother of the Lord” (Elwell, 806), a lowly handmaiden from Nazareth, the instrument of unending blessing for the coming generations (Howell, 9). Mary in turn sings a song for joy (Mary's Magnificat) inspired by the prophesied miraculous birth. However, contrary to normal expectations, “for only in verse 48 does Mary dwell on the personal benefits of being the mother of the Lord” (Elwell, 806), a lowly handmaiden from Nazareth, the instrument of unending blessing for the coming generations (Howell, 9). Instead she praises God who orchestrated the events. Even more puzzling, Mary celebrates the Lord's overthrow of normal human values and power structures, humbling the proud, the mighty and the rich while exalting the lowly and weak (Howell, 9). She praises the inconceivable, that the unborn children within their wombs (especially hers) will reverse centuries of hardship from oppressive empires and religious disturbances from complacency, syncretism, and avarice. Mary's song sees two unknown mothers as greater than the worldly “corridors of power” based on to promises of their holy, merciful, gracious, powerful, providentially caring and trustworthy God (Howell, 9).
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