Gospel Reading: Lk 1:39-56
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”
Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
REFLECTION
My spirit rejoices in God my Savior
The young Mary proclaims her Magnificat after Elizabeth acknowledges her being the mother of God and her blessedness for believing in the word of the Lord.
Mary’s spirituality has deepened since she gave her fiat and the conception of Jesus began in her womb. Mary interprets her pregnancy as God’s intervention in her life. God has lifted her in her lowliness. Mary also sees in her conception God working in history, liberating the poor from oppression and bringing down the rich and mighty who take advantage of them.
Mary sees God having mercy only on those who fear him. She accepts God’s will because she is with Jesus, and she slowly understands her mission and her Son’s.
Is your heart rejoicing because you realize God has done great things for you and for the poor?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.