One danger we can slip into at Christmastime is discontent. Maybe we long for “the perfect gift” from someone. Or we hope for the perfect family gathering with “just the right people” around the table. Or perhaps we want Christmas worship to go “just so.” And then we grow ill-tempered or even cranky when things do not go as we dreamed.

We can also slip into complaining about what we do not get from God. Or maybe there are injustices we face, or our life hasn’t worked out the way we planned, or there are some sins we can’t quite shake—and we wish God would take those problems away.

Yet, as Mary’s song celebrates, God’s mercy shows up not only in answers that we expect from our prayers. Sometimes God’s mercy shows up in our difficult situations. The angel’s surprising, even shocking, announcement to Mary upended her world. Yet she still recognized God’s saving grace in the promised birth of Jesus.

Mary’s song reveals something else too. She sees the power of God to lift up people who recognize their need for grace. In the world’s eyes, the rich and powerful seem to have all they need in order to manage their lives. But people who recognize their own weaknesses will find that Jesus the Savior brings divine power to their struggles. May we join with Mary in humble gratitude for the gifts of God’s mercy and strength.