It was banned in British-colonized India and in the dictator periods of Guatemala and Argentina, yet the image we have of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a timid, dutiful virgin. Imagine instead a 15 year old, brown skinned, Palestinian girl with fist raised, singing this song at Herod the Great and Caesar Augustus - then you might understand Mary a little better. Today we talk about this powerful song, the Magnificat, as well as the use of shepherds in the Christmas story.