“He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and the rich he has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:52)
The refrain of the hymn, “Purify My Heart” (Refiner’s Fire) by Brian Doerksen ties in very nicely with this passage from Luke 1:52. It states, “Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy, set apart for you, Lord. I choose to be holy, set apart for you my master, ready to do your will.” In imitation of Mary, the mother of God, our number one desire and greatest treasurer should be to do the will of the master in recognition that if we desire anything other than the Lord as our number one desire, we will be held accountable.
Today’s gospel reading from Matthew 23:12 states, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled: but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Mary displayed the right disposition. It was never about herself. She was God’s faithful servant. Do we have the right intention when being of service to others? Are we of service to be rewarded or recognized? Or do we serve others out of love for the Lord?