3rd Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2025
New Covenant, Luke 1:47-55
“Mary’s Song of Praise”
So if I showed you a picture of a knight holding his finger up to his lips and saying, “Shhhhhh.” What Christmas carol would that picture depict?
Yes, “Silent Night.”
How about if I showed you a picture of a calendar with 12 consecutive dates that were December 25th. What Christmas carol would that picture depict?
You’re correct! The “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
How about a picture of a Christmas tree drawn entirely with the letter “O”. What Christmas carol does that picture depict.
If you said, “O Christmas Tree,” you are correct!
Here’s a hard one. How about a picture of a baby in a bassinet and the name tag was blank. What Christmas carol would that picture depict?
You guess it! “What Child Is This?”
In our lesson this week, after the annunciation by the angel and her visit with Elizabeth, Mary sings a song of praise. This song is often referred to as the “Magnificat” or “Mary’s Magnificat.” She sings her joyous song of praise to God.
This Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent. It’s the Sunday that we light the Advent candle of “Joy”. It reminds us that this is a season of joy and we can be joyful that our waiting is soon over. It’ll soon be time to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
Sisters and brothers, share the joy of the season. Like Mary, sing joyous songs of praise to God for God’s gifts of love and mercy that comes to us in the form and nature of Jesus Christ and for the abundance of blessings that God has showered upon us this year. Amen.
