Mary’s Magnificat and Our Call to Humble Service
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” ~ Lk 1:46-47
In haste, Mary has gone to serve Elizabeth during her pregnancy. As Elizabeth acknowledges Mary’s faith, Mary proceeds to glorify the Lord, highlights his mercy, and calls for humility.
The prayer is a masterpiece, and its opening statement prompts me to review my life and disposition towards God:
- Am I confidently proclaiming God’s greatness and rejoicing in His mercy?
- Am I demonstrating reverence to Him?
- Am I humbly following His will or pridefully exerting mine?
- Am I joyfully living with a servant’s heart?
It’s intriguing to consider that Mary set aside the implications of her “Yes” and chose to hastily travel 70-100 miles to serve her cousin Elizabeth. How often do we ignore the potential consequences on our actions and simply focus on serving others?
As we approach the celebration of the nativity of our Lord, may we be willing to hear His call and humbly play our part in creating heaven on Earth.
Let us pray: Blessed Mother, Mary, whose “Yes” allowed God to live among us, we humbly ask that through your intercession, we receive the graces to set aside our preferences so that we may confidently proclaim our Lord’s greatness, trust in His mercy, and humbly follow His call.
Reflection Question:
- Take 5-10 minutes to review the previous questions and write down what comes to mind.
- Ever had God called you to do something unexpected or irrational? How would you think the Blessed Virgin Mary would have responded?
