ANNUNCIATION – MAGNIFICAT – 22 December 2024
1 Here a messenger was standing
waiting outside Mary's door,
not a face at all familiar
or that she had seen before.
Was there some anticipation,
or some other grave concern?
Could the stranger have a message,
what was there that she must learn?
2 First there came a welcome greeting,
Gabriel was now made known:
Mary was to be most favoured,
here God's love was being shown.
More of love, and greater kindness,
these were waiting in the wings.
News the messenger was bringing
pointed on to higher things.
3 God was coming as a person,
meeting every human need.
Mary had a role and purpose:
first give birth, then nurse and feed.
Shock, surprise and some resistance
underlined her every word
as young Mary sought to answer,
for the scheme seemed so absurd.
4 But there was much more for sharing
just to make the message clear;
more was needed from her Godhead
to dispel her natural fear.
Fire and love, the Spirit's power
would enfold her in God's care,
all at once she sensed God's comfort,
felt at last her Lord was there.
5 Now she magnified her praising,
thanks for all her God had done,
gift of life, God's gracious saving,
now the promise of a son.
We will go on in her footsteps:
latent servants of the Lord,
join our praise through all our giving,
all the love we can afford.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2011 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk .
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any
commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Metre: 8 7 8 7 8 7 8 7
Tune: DIM OND IES
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