PRAISE GOD ALL THE TIME! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Thursday, 22^ndDecember 2016,

Fourth Week of Advent

1 Sam 1: 24-28;

1 Sam 2: 1, 4-8;

Lk 1: 46-56

PRAISE GOD ALL THE TIME!

Mary’s Magnificat should be compared with the songs of praise by Hannah (1 Sam 2: 1-10) and Zechariah (Lk 1: 68-79). This song reveals the joy in the heart of the Mother of God. She humbly acknowledges the great things God has done for her and expressed her deepest joy. It’s interesting to note that both her “soul” and her “spirit” are mentioned in this song of praise. Her soul “proclaims” and her spirit “rejoices.” It reveals both an action of her own and an action of God. Our Blessed Mother’s “soul” refers to all of her human abilities within her mind, will, emotions and desires. It’s what makes her human. And with those human capacities she proclaims God’s greatness. In other words, with her mind she perceives God’s greatness, with her will she acknowledges and chooses to proclaim His greatness, and she does so with all of her feelings, emotions and desires. Her whole being was consumed with the greatness of God!

While Mary’s prophetic praises stand out in many ways, the greatest difference is in their contexts. Hannah praised the Lord at the presentation of Samuel. She had been through the shame of barrenness (1 Sam 1: 7). The birth of Samuel had changed all that, and she had reason to praise the Lord. Likewise, Zechariah had endured many long years of childlessness and been deaf and dumb for nine months (Lk 1: 20, 62). Now his son was born, his tongue was loosed (Lk 1: 64), and he had reason to praise the Lord. In contrast, Luke puts Mary’s praises at the beginning of her pregnancy. She was praising the Lord not only after her suffering but before and during her suffering. She was not only praising afterwards but praising anyway. She was praising by faith and not because she saw favorable circumstances (2 Cor 5: 7).

Do you and I imitate the perfect example of our Blessed Mother as she seeks to know, love and proclaim the greatness of God with her whole being? And do you allow the Holy Spirit to flood your spirit with joy. Let us ask for the grace to “proclaim” and “rejoice” with her at the coming celebration of the birth of her Divine Son so that you, too, may sing her song of praise!

Prayer: Dearest Mother, you offer us the perfect example of how to live as a faithful and humble servant of the Most High God. You proclaimed His greatness with your whole being and were filled with joy at His coming. Help me, by your powerful intercession, to imitate your faith and to love God with my whole being. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.