The Magnificat: A Way to Give Thanks to God. 22nd of December

Breakfast with the Word 22nd of December

 

 

Luke 1:46-56

 

 

The Magnificat is a name given to the hymn that the Blessed Virgin Mary sang to the Lord during her visit to Elizabeth.

 

The name comes from the first line of the Latin text of the hymn “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” meaning “my soul magnifies the Lord.

 

In the Magnificat, the Blessed Virgin Mary like Hannah in the first reading gives thanks to God for the wondrous thing He has done.

 

In the Magnificat, we see a heart that truly appreciates God not just for herself alone but for the entire people of God. It is a deep appreciation for the salvation that came to us through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Magnificat, the Blessed Virgin Mary teaches the way to give thanks to God.

 

1. The Magnificat comes immediately after Elizabeth, who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit blesses the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

In the Magnificat, Elizabeth extols her as “blessed among women”, “the mother of my saviour”, in fact, “she is favoured by her visit”, “that even the child in her womb leapt for joy immediately he heard the voice of Mary”. ( Luke 1: 42-45). Wow, imagine such kind of praises.

 

 

The Blessed Virgin Mary would have been moved by these. She would have danced to the praise or even request for more from Elizabeth.

 

In our Igbo language, she would have said: “nwanne Biko tuwe m aha” ( My sister please continue to heap the praises on me)  Or She May be saying “Biko kpowam ya, Etozuru m etozu, onye dika m (Continue to praise me, I worth is, who is like me) etc.

 

We expect Mary to even say things like “ I am now powerful, no one would dare me henceforth” or she would have bragged “do you think it is easy to be the mother of God”? I know it must be me”.

 

 

If we are in her position, the whole world will hear the trumpet but instead, The humble woman channelled her praises to God as Jesus does in Matthew 11:25. Mary teaches through the Magnificat that in everything all glory goes to God.

 

This part also reveals the importance of honouring Mary. If the Holy Spirit through Elizabeth can extol her in such a manner, why can’t we? Why do we talk as if we are greater than the Holy Spirit?

 

2. Mary through the Magnificat reminds us of the wondrous thing God has done and continues to do through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

She is highly grateful for the gift of salvation that came to us through Him. If not Jesus, Who would have saved us from the bondage of sin?

 

Then the question we have to ask ourselves is; are we truly grateful to God for this wondrous gift? Are we appreciative of the fact that Jesus is coming? If truly we are sincerely happy, how are we preparing for Him?

 

 

 

3. Mary reminds us that the Christmas season is a time of appreciation to God. It is not a time to bear grudges and worry about problems that do not finish. It is time to appreciate God even for the little things He has done for us.

 

 

We must not live in worry all through the year. Even if the problems around us cannot allow us to. Let us appreciate God for giving us the grace to see the end of this year. We are alive today if not by His grace.

 

 

 

4. Mary expresses sincere response to God’s wondrous work through the Magnificat. Through the Magnificat, Mary teaches us to give God thanks at every moment of our lives.

 

 

She teaches to remember to thank God when He has done something for us. Do you know that sometimes we forget to simply thank God after He has done great things for us?

 

 

We seem to remember God only when we are in need and when the need is solved, we forget to give Him thanks.

 

 

When was the last time you sincerely and wholeheartedly kneel and say a deep thanksgiving to God? We do not have to take even the life we have today for granted.

 

 

We have every reason to thank God every moment of our lives. Like the first reading of today, once God has done something for you, the next action required is nothing but thanksgiving.

 

 

 

5. Finally we always give God thanks after we have seen good things happen to us. But here today Mary teaches us to thank God even when we have not.

 

 

 

The Magnificat is a song of someone who so much trusts in God’s promise and power to fulfil what He has promised even when the promise is yet to be fulfilled.

 

 

The child promised to her by God was not yet born but She has started giving thanks to God. This is an act of faith.

 

 

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas praised God even when the breakthrough is yet to come. In 2nd Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat praised God even when He was not sure of the victory over his enemies.

 

 

Let us learn this act of faith, to thank God because we so much trust His power and love to fulfil His promises to us. This type of faith gladdens the heart of God and shows our trust in God despite the crisis of the moment.

 

May God bless you dearest and give you a cause to rejoice. May something happen in your life that will bring great joy to you. Amen

 

You may read

 

The Spirit of Christmas

 

In the Midst of How-Can-This-Be Situations. 20th December

 

 

How to Welcome Jesus. Fourth Sunday of Advent Year C

 

The Identity of the Child Jesus. Fourth Sunday of Advent Year C(2018)

 

When We truly belong to God: