Mary's Thanksgiving: The Magnificat

 
MEDITATION FOR TUESDAY

“And Mary said: ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour’ ” (Luke i, 46).

First Prelude: In spirit, enter the house of Zachary and hear the Blessed Virgin’s Magnificat in answer to Elizabeth, who calls her blessed.

Second Prelude: O Mary, teach us how to praise and thank God for the manifold gifts bestowed upon us.

First Point

“MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD”

When Mary heard Elizabeth praise and exalt her, she could not conceal the extraordinary gifts that God had bestowed upon her. She could not do it because humility does not blind souls to the singular graces with which they have been favored. The higher God elevates humble souls the lower they sink in their own esteem, directing all their gifts back to the Divine Giver. Mary dared not pass over in silence the graces so generously imparted to her, because she was chosen to give testimony of the great mystery that God had wrought in her. With holy exultation, she cried out, “My soul doth magnify the Lord!” Mary did not say: “My soul hath magnified the Lord” or “It will magnify Him” but “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” The praise of God was her sole occupation on earth. She performed incessantly the sacred office of the angels in heaven. Her whole life was an uninterrupted “Magnificat” and she praised and exalted God not only in her words and sentiments, but in all her works.

Oh, that we would faithfully employ all our faculties, preserving our strength, our knowledge, our vocation, for the glory of God! That we would worthily discharge our sacred duties in the exalted dignity to which God has called us! Let us strive earnestly to withdraw our soul from the sway of passions, and devote it ever more to the service of God. Filled with God, the soul will love to commune with Him and will find exquisite delight in singing His praise, for “out of the fullness of heart the mouth speaketh.”

As Mary, in humility and modest reserve, spoke little with men, but now that the honor and glory of God were concerned hesitated not to speak freely and explicitly, so should we, likewise, observe the greatest reserve in intercourse with men, and pour out our hearts to God alone.

Am I always grateful to God in word and deed for the many graces and benefits imparted to me? Is not useless intercourse with creatures a hindrance to my communing with God in prayer and meditation and the cause of my negligence in singing His praises?

Second Point

“MY SPIRIT HATH REJOICED IN GOD, MY SAVIOUR”

The heart of Mary must have been filled with inexplicable delight when she said: “My spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour.” No creature was able to treasure the benefit of the Redemption so highly as she. Filled with holy joy, she calls God her Lord and Saviour, realizing that He has in a most extraordinary manner overwhelmed her with graces. He has preserved her from original sin, and destined her to be the channel of salvation for all men. Knowing that all good things came to her through Him, she rejoices in the Saviour, Who now dwells within her bosom. Oh, my soul, arise in imitation of the example of Mary and likewise rejoice in God, your Saviour! If you desire joy then love Him, for in Him you will find all that your heart desires. For you, too, He will open heaven and in His goodness allow you to participate in the treasures of grace that He so generously dispenses through His Blessed Mother. Sad to say, there are but few who realize what constitutes true joy of heart and genuine peace of soul. The majority seek happiness in temporal goods. But who suffers himself to be fettered by the love of creatures, is not capable of loving God with all his heart, and, consequently, not receptive for the exalted, supernatural joy that God so lavishly infuses into the hearts of His faithful children. A pure, God-fearing life, the uninterrupted struggle with our evil propensities, persevering zeal in prayer and good works, are indispensable to the full enjoyment of spiritual delights. Voluntary venial sins and tepidity, and above all lack of humility and charity, render us unworthy of God’s especial graces and favors.

Affections: O holy Virgin, blest Mother of God, thou dost not only sing the praises of the Lord with thy lips, but thy whole life, thy admirable sanctity far surpassing the sanctity of all angels and men is an uninterrupted hymn of praise, extolling the goodness of our God. I pray thee, unite my weak and feeble praise with thine and offer it to thy Divine Son, that it may become pleasing to Him. Oh, how gladly should I cry out with the Psalmist “I will be glad and rejoice in Thee; I will sing to Thy Name, O Thou most High!” (Ps. 9, 2). But, alas, my utter misery ever bears me down. O Mary, my holy Mother, look graciously upon my poverty. Let a spark of divine love inflame my poor heart, that I may always walk in the presence of God, and with devotion, praise and thanksgiving extol His mercies.

Resolutions: I will seek to make my heart receptive for God’s grace, by disengaging it more and more from all earthly things.

Spiritual Bouquet: “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

Prayer: O Jesus living in Mary . . .