And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him. (Luke 1:46-50 NABRE)
These lines from the gospel of Saint Luke are the first lines of Mary's prayer, which we call the Magnificat, after greeting her cousin Elizabeth who calls her blessed. It contains a number of references to the Old Testament. The Magnificat may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises.*
Lord, may my entire soul proclaim your greatness and may my spirit rejoice in you!
Today, I will remember, with Mary, that God's mercy is available to us even today, and I will celebrate it during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Belssed Jacopone da Todi, whose whole life rang out “Alleluia!” and inspires us to keep singing in all circumstances, pray for us.
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