Mary's Prayer

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;

he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed;

the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.

He has mercy on those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm

and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones

and lifting up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty.

He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,

to remember his promise of mercy,

The promise made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

This is one of the choices for readings this Sunday.  This has always been a favorite of mine.  Here you have a teenage girl, unwed, told she is going to carry the Savior of the world.  I know what my expression would have been.  I can tell you that it probably would not have been, "My soul proclaims your greatness O Lord."  Would have been something more to the tune of OMGWTF!!!  To put it into text type.  Or "YOU MUST BE CRAZY!"

You have to wonder what Mary was thinking.  Yes, she was proud to be carrying this child, but let's look beyond this wonderful act of faith and look to the teenager, unwed mother, now to be social outcast.  That is not something to say, WOW COOL at.  She must have been terrified.  I would have been.  

You know, God asked her to do something AMAZING.  Why then when we are asked to do simple things, serving God, loving others, serving others, spending a little time in prayer -- it is WAY TOO MUCH?  Why do we make excuses?  Mary did not, I guess have the opportunity to make an excuse.  She could not really have said, "Sorry God, this is not a good time for me.  Could we hold off this pregnancy for, say, 10 years.  I am not ready to be a mother."

God calls each of us to do AMAZING things.  God calls each of us to live for God alone.  God calls each of us to live according to God's Word.  So, why then can we not do that?  Why do we always make excuses?

If God came to you right now and told you that you alone would change the world with God's help, what would your reaction be?  Run scared?  Say OMGWTF? or would you respond with "My soul proclaims your greatness O God ..."  I hope that would be my response (after I peed my pants of course).