And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
God’s presence in the splendid and the mundane
“My soul magnifies the Lord”
It is fashionable in theological circles to talk of “high Christology” versus “low Christology”, the former emphasizing Jesus’s divinity, with the latter underscoring his humanity.
A parallel can be drawn with Mary. A Mariology from above focuses on her special closeness with God, while a Mariology from below notes her nearness to the lowly, humble, and dispossessed of the Earth. As with Christ, this isn’t a question of either-or: Mary is both the mother of God, and a refugee in the flight to Egypt. Mary calmly accepts the invitation of the Angel Gabriel and shows dread when Jesus goes missing during Passover in Jerusalem. The Magnificat captures this both-and character of her spirit.
Take a few moments to pray with the remarkable Song of Mary. How might her words be inviting me to find grace both in times of joy and in moments of trial?
—James Millikan, SJ, is a scholastic of the Jesuits West Province currently studying philosophy, social science, and applied mathematics at ITESO, the Jesuit university of Guadalajara in Mexico.
O God, whose spirit moves in both the splendid and the mundane, grant that, however we may be celebrating this Christmas, our souls may magnify your love and grace. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
—James Millikan, SJ
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