Mary's Song Is Ours

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, December 17th, 2023
​Third Sunday of Advent

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Luke 1

R. My soul shall exult in my God.

My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 

R. My soul shall exult in my God.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 

R. My soul shall exult in my God.

The Lord has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy. 

​R. My soul shall exult in my God.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

(Originally published December 9th, 2020)

The Catechism calls Mary’s Magnificat, “the song both of the Mother of God and of the Church; the song of the Daughter of Zion and of the new People of God; the song of thanksgiving for the fullness of grace poured out in the economy of salvation and the song of the ‘poor’ whose hope is met by the fulfilment of the promises made to our ancestors” (CCC 2619). There is a lot to ponder and unpack here, but I want to focus on how Mary’s song is ours, as members of the Church and as the People of God.

Mary models for us a perfect response to God’s invitation to life-giving communion. She is open to His question in the annunciation, she responds with a "yes" to His will in and for her life, and she is transformed by Him so much that she becomes the means for Him to enter the world as the Word Incarnate. Recognizing His goodness and mercy, she sings of His glory in thanksgiving and rejoices in His presence – He is in her, growing and becoming and preparing to enter the world in a completely new way. Mary’s role is unique, but it is also symbolic of the relationship God desires to have with us.

The Lord invites us constantly to prayer and awaits our response. When we receive His Word, He transforms us, and over time He grows within us until He is revealed to others through us. This is how evangelization is enabled – through a relationship with the Word of God, Christ Jesus, who is the Good News (the Evangelion) and who chooses to enter the world through humanity. God chose Mary, and He also chooses us to participate in Christ’s salvation, His healing of humanity, and to restore our relationship with the Father.

I invite you to sit with this for a while, alongside me – it is hard for me to take it all in. Having the slightest understanding and knowledge of who God is, it is amazing that He would choose to involve us in this grand task that is so vital and so motivated by love and mercy. How could He entrust this responsibility to us? How could He choose a little one, like me?

Somehow, these are His ways, and we don’t have to understand fully in order to participate successfully in His mission. And Mary, despite not knowing the full plan and how it would play out, gives thanks and rejoices in her Saviour even in this early time – before He has come in His fullness. May we imitate her most beautiful response, receiving His plans as God reveals them to us in His time and delighting and trusting in His goodness even before He is born in our hearts. He is growing in us now, in hiddenness – let us pray that He will be revealed and gifted to others through us. Amen.
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​Kendra L.

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