“My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior because He who is mighty hath done great things and holy is His name…”
When I read the words of Mary, I can sense the intense joy that she is experiencing as she shares with Elizabeth what God has done. I remember the joy it was when I was expecting and how joy filled I was to share that news with family and friends. I think how much more intense her joy was. For generations the Jewish people waited for God to send the promised messiah, and God’s promise was to come about in Mary’s time and within her very self. She must have been so open to the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and filled with faith and confidence in God that the Word He spoke became flesh. Jesus came to her in a special way.
I can imagine her visiting Elizabeth to help and share her news. How happy she must have been to hear of Elizabeth’s pregnancy! She must have been overjoyed that the sorrow that had burdened Elizabeth was lifted. What a wonderful meeting this must have been! How grateful and filled with praise they were! Just reading these words in scripture make me want to join in praise of God for all the mighty things He has done.
I think my prayer this Advent is to ask Mary to visit our families, friends, and parish community with the good news of Jesus ‘birth. I ask her to bring Jesus into our hearts so we may be delivered from our failings and sorrows and filled with His love. I ask her to remind us that the Holy Spirit has already overshadowed each of us bringing Jesus to dwell within us. Jesus is already saving us, healing us, loving us and sharing His peace with us.I ask Mary to pray for us that we may praise and thank God for the gift of Jesus. I pray that we may share in Mary and Jesus’ great joy in the Father’s plan.
Madeline Longacker is a parishioner at St. Edward’s and is a member of the Hosanna Prayer Group. Hosanna meets weekly, on Thursdays at 7pm, in the Faith Formation wing. All are welcome.
Thank you for making this reading come alive for me.