Words: Ven. Canon Mark Chamberlain, Archdeacon for Regeneration and Mission

Few events in life are as thrilling and joyful as the birth of a baby. Last year Pip and I had the privilege of welcoming not one but two grandchildren into the world! The joy of new life and hopes fulfilled re-echoed around our wider family and friends. We all shared in the good news of great joy.

At this time of year, we celebrate the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. When Mary was greeted by Elizabeth she burst into song with one of the most beloved canticles in the New Testament – the Magnificat. It begins "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour".

Mary has long been a model of faithful discipleship for Christians through the ages. She is humble, godly and expresses an unshakable faith that God will bring justice, peace and reconciliation to the world. For a person living under the yoke of Rome, Mary shows extraordinary faith in God and confidence in his purposes. She sees everything through the eyes of faith. "He has shown strength with his arm and has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the humble and meek".

American author James Hodges puts it well when he said of Mary, 

"This young woman, perhaps not even twenty years of age, was blessed to bear God in her womb. She held in her body the one who held up the stars. She bore he who bears our sins. She nursed the Word through whom the universe was made. The founder of the Church played in her lap". 

Mary is indeed a model of faithful and devoted discipleship.

On Sunday, 26 May, the Diocesan Prayer Community was launched at the Cathedral and at St Mary's, Timaru. At the writing of this article, 170 people have signed up to belong to the Prayer Community and the daily discipline of praying for the regeneration of our Diocese. It turns out that there's something about a Prayer Community that seems to have resonated with many of us! Perhaps it's being part of a wider group that gives focus, purpose and a feeling of unity. Perhaps it's the appeal of a kind of "rule of life" which involves a daily commitment. Perhaps it’s simply that the Holy Spirit has stirred in us all toward greater faithfulness and devotion – the same devotion that Mary expressed.

Yes, the Magnificat expresses humility that God should work through Mary as well as confidence that God's purposes will never be turned back. But fundamentally the Magnificat is a song of joy that bursts out from Mary's heart which must have been overflowing with thanksgiving and joy toward our gracious God.

Surely the route to the regeneration of our Diocese must involve all of these themes – humility that God would use us in his plans for renewal, confidence that good will overcome evil and that God will have the final say, and joy that we have been called into God's service and that all will be well.

In Mere Christianity, CS Lewis said, 

"If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them. They are not a sort of prize which God could, if He chose, just hand out to anyone. They are a great fountain of energy and beauty spurting up at the very center of reality. If you are close to it, the spray will wet you: if you are not, you will remain dry".

Our call to work towards the renewal and regeneration of our Diocese must involve us all getting "into God" – or equally "God getting more into us". Imagine what life would be like in our parishes and ministry units if we were all sprayed and drenched in God as Mary was!