May 31, 2025

Scripture



Luke 1: 39-56

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

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.


Ignatian Reflection



Song of Praise and Hope

I’ve read and recited Mary’s Magnificat so many times that I hardly hear it. And I’ve used her words to make quasi-political points, employing her prayer to prove up God’s preferential [policy] option[s] for the poor. “He has brought down the powerful . . . and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”  

But reading Mary’s prayer in this season of Easter, only days after the election of Pope Leo XIV, I am letting Mary and Elizabeth’s joy fill me with hope. And what is leaping up within me today is Mary’s proclamation of joy and confidence: “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.” 

Can you join with people all over the world today in Mary’s joyful song of praise and hope?  Can you open your heart as Mary did and magnify the Lord with your “Yes” and your life?  

—Bill Lipscomb is a spiritual director with the Ignatian Spirituality Center and the Church of the Gesu in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bill is a graduate of the Seminars in Ignatian Formation program of the Midwest Jesuits. Bill serves as a board member for the Ignatian Spirituality Project and as a spiritual reflector for the Ignatian Volunteer Corps


Ignatian Prayer



May 31, 2025

Prayer

Dear Mary, sweet mother of Jesus and the Church, help us to know, love, and serve your Son better and better each day, and through your loving care for us, magnify our loving care for the poor and lowly of our wearied world. Amen.

—Bill Lipscomb   


The Daily Examen is a prayer technique developed by St. Ignatius to help us reflect on the events of the day to discern God's presence and direction. When Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, he required the Jesuits to practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It's a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.

The Examen structure presented below is adapted from a technique described by Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. Click here for more information from our partners in ministry at Loyola Press.

Daily Examen


1. Become aware of God's presence

God, I believe that at this moment I am in your presence and you are loving me.

2. Review the day with gratitude

God, you know my needs better than I know them. Give me your light and your help to see how you have been with me, both yesterday and today.

3. Pay attention to your emotions

God, help me to be grateful for the moments when people have affirmed me and challenged me. Help me to see how I have responded, and whether I have been kind to others and open to growth.

4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it

God, forgive me for when I have not done my best or have failed to treat others well. Encourage me, guide me, and continue to bless me.

5. Look toward tomorrow

As I look to the remainder of this day, make me aware that you are with me. Show me how to be the person you want me to be.


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Prayer unites people of faith everywhere. It is a tangible expression of our dependence on God, and our care for one another. These prayer cards combine images from campus with prayers that speak to joyful and difficult experiences in life. You are invited to share and personalize these cards by emailing, posting to social media, or printing them out for yourself or others. You can also choose from a gallery of images below to add a special touch to the prayer card.

Litany of Jesuit Saints
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