46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
As we approach Holy Week take a moment to reflect on the birth of Jesus and let your soul magnify the Lord and your spirit rejoice in God your Savior!
Luke 1
ReplyDeleteLuke Writes to Theophilus
1-2 Many have attempted to write about what had taken place among us. They received their information from those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of God’s word from the beginning, and they passed it on to us.
The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah
19 The angel answered him, “I’m Gabriel! I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to tell you this good news.
The Angel Gabriel Comes to Mary
26 Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee.
30-34 The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus. He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’ve never had sexual intercourse.”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.
37 But nothing is impossible for God.”
38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.” Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39-40 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick.
41-44 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy.
45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”
John is Born
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, “Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has come to take care of his people and to set them free.
76-80 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way. You will make his people know that they can be saved through the forgiveness of their sins. A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful. He will give light to those who live in the dark and in death’s shadow. He will guide us into the way of peace.” The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.