My soul magnifies the Lord!

Sunflower by Ann L. Krumrein

Let the soul of Mary be in each one of you, to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one of you, to rejoice in God. According to the flesh only one woman can be the mother of Christ but in the world of faith Christ is the fruit of all of us. For every soul can receive the Word of God if only it is pure and preserves itself in chastity and modesty.

The soul that has been able to reach this state proclaims the greatness of the Lord just as Mary did and rejoices in God its saviour just like her.

The Lord’s greatness is proclaimed, as you have read elsewhere, where it says Join me in magnifying the Lord. This does not mean that anything can be added to the Lord’s greatness by human words, but that he is magnified in us. Christ is the image of God and so any good or religious act that a soul performs magnifies that image of God in that soul, the God in whose likeness the soul itself was made. And thus the soul itself has some share in his greatness and is ennobled.

~from St Ambrose's commentary on St Luke's Gospel

Dear Mary, Virgin of Advent, with you and through you, may we for ever sing the goodness of the Lord. Amen! Alleluia!.

The Holy Father on the Magnificat

…[We] sing with Mary the great hymn of praise which she raises after Elizabeth calls her blessed because of her faith. It is a prayer of thanksgiving, of joy in God, of blessing for his mighty works. The tenor of this hymn is clear from its very first words: "My soul magnifies – makes great – the Lord". (see Lk 1:46-55)

Making the Lord great means giving him a place in the world, in our lives, and letting him enter into our time and our activity: Ultimately this is the essence of true prayer. Where God is made great, men and women are not made small: There too men and women become great and the world is filled with light.

Through Mary we want to continue our converse with the Lord and to learn how to receive him better. Holy Mother of God, pray for us, just as at Cana you prayed for the bride and the bridegroom! Guide us toward Jesus – ever anew! Amen!

Pope Benedict XVI, 9/11/06

Dear Mary, who sang a new song to the Lord, your whole life was a glorious hymn of wonder, adoration and praise. Even in the midst of sorrow and pain, you continued to sing the goodness of the Lord. I want to sing as you did – gladly and confidently and with great abandon. Dearest Mother, help me! You know how my voice quavers as my heart quivers – and oh, the flat and sour notes I so often hit! Take my poor little song and weave it into yours. Sweet Mary, teach me how to sing with you for our Beloved Jesus. Amen. Alleluia!