Monday, December 17, 2018


A Poem A Sunday
Advent IV – C


St. Luke 1:39-56 - NRSV

Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary’s Song of Praise
46 And Mary[b] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
    Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
50 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 powerful from their thrones,
    and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Footnotes:
  1. Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be
  2. Luke 1:46 Other ancient authorities read Elizabeth

Poem a Sunday
Advent IV-C

Mother’s Day

“The hand that rocks the cradle
rules the world.”  William Ross Wallace

It is mothers’ Sunday
and women
are central
to God’s liberations.

Bookends:
young Mary/old Elizabeth,
fertile
with children
and a manifesto
is sung
about the one
to be born.

It’s Elizabeth who teaches
J. B.
and Mary who teaches
Jesus
regarding God’s reign:
when the powerful
are brought low
and the lowly lifted…
the rich and privileged
flee away empty.

All due to these two
teaching their children:
“Repent! The Kingdom
of God is at hand.”

Blame or give credit
to Mary & Elizabeth
for this revolution
that still frightens
the powerful
and gives hope
to the
least of these.

Copyright 2018 @Kenn Storck
May be used with permission.
kennstorck@gmail.com


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