Magnificent Revolution

After Mary goes with haste to visit her cousin and confidant Elizabeth, who was herself pregnant with John the Baptist in her old age, Mary greets Elizabeth and the child in her womb leaps with joy!  Elizabeth then opens up her mouth and out pours poetic prophecy, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” + Luke 1:42

Then, with her hands unselfconsciously rubbing the holy dome of her belly, Mary sings that ancient, magnificent, and terrifying song of revolution: the Magnificat.

Steeped in the language of her faith and reverberating with the poetry and power of Hannah’s own song, Mary belts out a Christmas carol that should send shivers down our spines. 

This is no, “Silent Night, Holy Night!”  According to Mary, all is not calm and all is not bright.  And, so, this round yon virgin belts out a protest song against economic inequality, moral apathy, and inactivity (three things most Christians in this country seem to excel at!).

In the history of Christian art, Mary is often depicted as a meek maiden who passively accepts the overshadowing of God’s Holy Spirit.  But, make no mistake, without Mary’s moxie and agency, there would be no great reversal, no scattering of the proud, no putting low of the rich and powerful, no lifting up the poor and filling the hungry with good things.  

So, sing on Mother Mary!  

Sing as loud as you can and be not afraid to sing your magnificent song of revolution slightly off key!

Lift up your voice, Mary full of moxie, and sing again of God’s preferential treatment for the poor - we need to hear it over and over and over again until we too can sing and live it with you!

Blessed are you among all people for singing this song of revolution and for being the only one strong enough to follow the man of sorrow to the foot of the cross - thank you, Mother Mary, for being not only his mother, but also his teacher and most dedicated disciple!  

And, above all else, thank you for rearing such a compassionate, table-turning, and magnificent revolutionary - we think he looks just like you :)

A big SALT thank you to Andy Young, our go-to DP and the creative genius behind Granola Video, for helping us breath life into this beautiful song.  And, a special thank you to Rev. Mindy Lucyette Mayes, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Crawfordsville, IN, for giving Mary's song such a beautiful and powerful voice!