Godspell: The Original Soundtrack of My Faith--Luke 1:46-47
Day 5
Maybe Mary, the Mother of God, would have danced around like the crew of Godspell singing Bless The Lord, but I sort of doubt it.
Mary seems pretty fierce to me and to be able to pull off glorifying God for what He is going to do for the world through her takes a lot of fierceness and determination.
The song Bless The Lord, (with elements taken by Stephen Schwartz from The Magnificat and Psalm 103), is soulful and exuberant and invites us to joyful worship.
In Mary’s song, (called The Magnificat which is Latin for the first line which means “My soul magnifies the Lord”)) from Luke 1:46-55, she hammers home her gratitude for the Lord choosing her for His work on earth as she speaks to her cousin Elizabeth (who is pregnant with John the Baptist).
Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
Father Steve Grunow comments on Mary’s apparent ferocity of faith in Our Lady of Mount Carmel:
“If we suspend from our minds the placid musical settings that are often served up with the Blessed Mother’s “Magnificat” and consider her words in and of themselves, we might note with surprise that there is something fierce about the mother of Christ. She speaks in her “Magnificat” like Elijah. Her words testify to the Lord who arrives with all his power to set right a world gone wrong.”
There are definite differences between The Magnificat and Bless The Lord which go beyond Mary’s reverence and probable solemnity when meeting with her cousin.
Of course the Godspell version is going for the happy, energetic, communal and playful vibe that Luke doesn’t seem to provide about Mary’s speech to her cousin.
Charles Spurgeon highlights the seriousness of Mary’s Magnificat and WHY she would have been so serious in Mary’s Magnifcat:
“Mary’s Magnificat was a song of faith. Yon have thought, perhaps, that you could easily ha.ve sung this song if you had been as highly favoured as she was; but are you sure that you could have done so? Have you ever realized the difficulties under which this hymn was composed and sung? If not, permit me to remind you that the wondrous birth, which had been promised to her, had not then been accomplished, and in her mind there must have been a consciousness that many would doubt her statements. The visitation of the angel, and all its consequences, would seem to be ridiculous and even impossible to many to whom she might venture to mention the circumstances; nay, more than that, would subject her to many cruel insinuations, which would scandalize her character, and that which conferred upon her the highest honour that ever fell to woman would, in the judgment of many, bring upon her the greatest possible dishonour. We know what suspicions even Joseph had, and that it was only a revelation from God that could remove them. Mary must have been sorely troubled if she had been influenced by her natural feelings, and had been swayed by external circumstances. It was only her wondrous faith, — in some respects, her matchless faith, for no other woman had ever had such a blessed trial of faith as she had, — it was only her matchless faith that she should be the mother of the holy child Jesus, that sustained her.”
Do any of us have Mary’s courage to face the very difficult?
Her speech is prophetic–almost brutally so–as she emphasizes God’s justice and social reversal.
Bringing down rulers from their thrones and scattering the prideful wouldn’t exactly be a happy number to dance around to.
Bless The Lord focuses more on our personal and spiritual blessings–forgiveness, healing, and renewal.
And that is something to sing and dance about. 🙂
Lord, fill us with the same awe and gratitude for Your love and mercy as Mary did. Let our lives magnify Your holy name, reflecting Your grace.
Lord, guide us to walk humbly with You.
Amen.