The Magnificat is a Biblical prayer that praises God and is found in Luke 1:46-55. This prayer of praises is also called the Canticle of Mary and the Ode of the Theotokos. It is often sung as a hymn.
About Mary's Magnificat in the Book of Luke
Mary’s prayer in Luke happens right after the angel Gabriel comes to her to announce she is full of grace and that she will soon conceive the Messiah by the power of the Holy Spirit. Being betrothed, a pregnancy would have been scandalous in Mary’s time.
We witness the power of a young betrothed woman’s trust in the promise of God her savior. We examine our own life and ask ourselves in what ways have we professed this faith and trust in God and abandoned our own self will? We likewise discover the ways we have allowed sin to cause our own spiritual death. By joining the Virgin Mary in this prayer of faith and abandonment to the will of God, we offer both our body and soul to Him for His will to be done in a complete fiat. We do not surrender begrudgingly, but with joyful acclamation: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit exalts in God my Savior.”
There were many risks to her well being and in the community. But Mary never thought for a moment to say no to this call of God. After having the faith to believe the words of the angel and the obedience to say yes to the will of God, she visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant by a miracle of God, with John the Baptist. Imagine her learning by the angel Gabriel that her cousin Elizabeth was also given a commission by God and blessed with the miracle of life in her womb.
She is so overjoyed by this act of God’s grace that she runs to see her cousin. The jubilant meeting of Mary, pregnant with Jesus, and her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with St. John the Baptist, show us the spiritual joy we can also have when we surrender to the will of God in our lives and become vessels of His grace to further His kingdom here on Earth.
Elizabeth knew, and proclaimed Mary to be full of grace. And even John the Baptist leapt in the womb at the presence of Jesus newly conceived in the womb of Mary. Is there nothing better than to be chosen by God to fulfill a divine destiny?
You have been given a mission by God. Have you begun to fulfill His will in your life? Pray the Magnificat daily for the grace to say yes to God’s will in all things.
Luke 1: 26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
Praise God with the Magnificat Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.
Amen.
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