Magnify the Lord
Friends in Christ, today, as we near Christmas, we encounter Mary in the gospels, bursting forth into praise. This poetic exclamation by Our Lady is called her ‘Magnificat.’ “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.’
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Mary shows us, that for those full of faith, their life bursts forth in testimony to God’s greatness. For years, as a youth, the Blessed Virgin prayed for the Savior to come; she prayed for that virgin, who was foretold by Isaiah, who would bear the Redeemer. She had no idea that it would be herself! But since she IS that virgin, she rejoices.
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It’s true – Mary knew that her life would not be easy from that day forward, she knew of her heavy responsibility, and the cross that lie ahead. Yet, her total trust in God causes her to have peace, to simply continue to do his will, and to rejoice. ‘The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.’
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It kind of reminds me of King David, who, seeing the favors of God in his life, went in and sat before the Lord and said: ‘Who am I Lord, that you have brought me to this point.’
Who am I? What am I, that you would do all this for me?
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God wishes that we too would see his blessings in our life, and that in the same way, we would thank him and praise him. The more that we do this, the more that we bring the Christ-life alive in ourselves, the more Jesus is born in us.
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St. Ambrose writes about this in the Sunday Breviary: He says: In the same way as Mary ‘you also are blessed because you have heard and believed. A soul that believes, also conceives and brings forth the Word of God, and acknowledges his works. ‘Let Mary’s soul be in each of you, he says, to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. Let her spirit be in you, to rejoice in the Lord.
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Christ has only one mother in the flesh, but we all bring forth Christ in faith. Every soul receives the Word of God if only it remains pure and free from sin. The soul that succeeds in this, proclaims the greatness of the Lord just as Mary’s soul magnified the Lord and her spirit rejoiced.
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The word ‘magnificat’ means ‘magnify.’ The image of God is in us, and the more that we live the Christ-life, the more that God is magnified in us, and then we share in His greatness.
