Something Magnificent
This is Ananias' article from the December 2017-January 2018 Newsletter.
My Big Guy read me another Bible story; this one has a connection to Christmas. It was before Jesus was born, right after his mom, Mary, found out she was going to give birth to Jesus. She went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptizer. When they met, Elizabeth shouted her blessings, and Mary responded with a song. (Luke 1.46-55)
I’m not really sure if this is a song, or a poem, but it really means a lot to My Big Guy. He said it is called “the Magnificat.” But I think it is magnificent.
Mary talks about what her son is going to do. She says that her soul magnifies God, and that God has chosen her from the lowly people, and she will be called blessed.
It amazed me when My Big Guy told me that Mary was probably just a teenager when she became pregnant, about the same age as the kids in his C+LIFFE class. That is a lot of trust for anyone, but especially someone that young.
Mary says God shows mercy for generations for those who listen to what he asks of people, but then she starts to describe what God will do through Jesus.
She describes things turning upside down; the powerful will be taken down and those at the low end will be lifted up. The hungry will be fed, the rich will get nothing.
That part confused me for a while, but My Big Guy explained that this leveling is because those who have advantages and blessings have used them only for themselves and not to help others.
One of My Big Guy’s favorite things to point out when he reads me Bible stories is that people are blessed so that they can be a blessing to others. The good things people have or the gifts God has given them are so that they can use those blessings to help out others. When they don’t, they disappoint God. Eventually, God’s justice will prevail and God will level things, bringing the high and low to balance.
As Christmas gets close, we start to think about gifts, gifts we hope to get and gifts we want to give. Instead of that, we should think about what we can give of ourselves.
Mary was a young girl of whom God asked a great thing. She agreed and believed that more great things would come through her son, and then through his followers.
If everyone was willing to trust God and share of their blessings, this world would truly be magnificent.
Merry Christmas!
Love and Licks,
Ananias
My Big Guy read me another Bible story; this one has a connection to Christmas. It was before Jesus was born, right after his mom, Mary, found out she was going to give birth to Jesus. She went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptizer. When they met, Elizabeth shouted her blessings, and Mary responded with a song. (Luke 1.46-55)
I’m not really sure if this is a song, or a poem, but it really means a lot to My Big Guy. He said it is called “the Magnificat.” But I think it is magnificent.
Mary talks about what her son is going to do. She says that her soul magnifies God, and that God has chosen her from the lowly people, and she will be called blessed.
It amazed me when My Big Guy told me that Mary was probably just a teenager when she became pregnant, about the same age as the kids in his C+LIFFE class. That is a lot of trust for anyone, but especially someone that young.
Mary says God shows mercy for generations for those who listen to what he asks of people, but then she starts to describe what God will do through Jesus.
She describes things turning upside down; the powerful will be taken down and those at the low end will be lifted up. The hungry will be fed, the rich will get nothing.
That part confused me for a while, but My Big Guy explained that this leveling is because those who have advantages and blessings have used them only for themselves and not to help others.
One of My Big Guy’s favorite things to point out when he reads me Bible stories is that people are blessed so that they can be a blessing to others. The good things people have or the gifts God has given them are so that they can use those blessings to help out others. When they don’t, they disappoint God. Eventually, God’s justice will prevail and God will level things, bringing the high and low to balance.
As Christmas gets close, we start to think about gifts, gifts we hope to get and gifts we want to give. Instead of that, we should think about what we can give of ourselves.
Mary was a young girl of whom God asked a great thing. She agreed and believed that more great things would come through her son, and then through his followers.
If everyone was willing to trust God and share of their blessings, this world would truly be magnificent.
Merry Christmas!
Love and Licks,
Ananias
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