“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name....
The Church sings or recites today's gospel, every evening in every season. It is a reflection on blessings received and blessings to come. Because it is the prayer of Mary it is the prayer of the whole church, for she is the first and most blessed member of our Church. We learn these words as prayer, and we learn to pray by them; and praying thus, we learn how to be disciples of Jesus and people of God.
Today's first reading and psalm from First Samuel reveal the ancient roots of Mary's prayer. She echoes Hannah's prayer upon giving her firstborn son to God. Because the song is anchored in the history of her people, those who pray with these women are grafted into the Family of Abraham. We flourish and bear fruit as we adopt the faith, practices, traditions, and sensibilities of God's people.
The song begins with Mary's delight at what God has done for her. This is not boasting for she never directs attention to herself. Rather, she is the handmaid of the Lord and her pleasure is God's pleasure. Sometimes people who are honored with an award, whether expected or not, try to say they don't deserve it, it should go to someone else, or act as if it's no big deal. That false modesty demeans the appreciation, dignity, and intelligence of those who offered the award. The response should be, "Thank you!" and a recognition of what it means to oneself and everyone else. In other words, "It's about us."
Acknowledging that, "All generations will call me blessed" -- as we do! -- Mary recognizes the God who has done this mighty work. He has exalted an unknown maiden of Galilee; her fame will outlast the Roman Empire!
She goes on to recount God's customary action of humbling the mighty and raising the lowly. That began when the Lord Sabaoth delivered the Hebrew slaves and annihilated the Egyptian army. The least promising of Jesse's sons became the King of Israel. The destroyed city of Jerusalem and its citizen reappeared after nearly a century of exile. As Psalm 37 says,
Wait eagerly for the LORD, and keep his way.He will raise you up to inherit the earth;you will see when the wicked are cut off.I have seen a ruthless scoundrel,spreading out like a green cedar.When I passed by again, he was gone;though I searched, he could not be found.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.