Mary's Song is for us!

4 th April, 2022; St. John the Evangelist, Smiths Falls. Rev. Canon Brian A. Burrows.
Reflection: Mary's Song is for us!
Text: Luke 1:46
”My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” NRSV.

Introduction:
During the pandemic my wife and I have been reading Evening Prayer, which contains the
Magnificat. Magnifying is something we understand, especially when we learn that the latest
telescope sent into space should help us to look at space more clearly. In a sense, we might
be able to look forward and back in time. It seems to me that Mary's magnifying does the
same thing – looking back but also looking forward. I believe it has meaning also for each
one of us.

1. Magnifying the Lord!
Of course, this means 'praising God', making the Lord larger to us, more real, more
important. Mary had been visiting Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, who was
delighted that 'the mother of my Lord should come to me'. (I'd like to feel that Jesus can
come to each one of us!) Mary's prayer of praise to God is an example for all of us to
follow. We live lives facing all kinds of problems, wars, disasters, illnesses and the like, yet
God is still there for us all. If we lift Him up in our hearts, and praise the Lord, then we shall
receive help.

2. Magnifying me!
As Mary praised God, so she herself was changed. “He that is mighty has magnified me. He
has done great things for me.” No wonder some churches make much of Mary. She is
indeed an inspiration for all of us. Yet, what really is being magnified is the child to be born.
Jesus would be the Saviour of the world – the one to die for the sins of the whole world. He
would be the one Mary would nurture and bring up to reveal his calling from God and his
divine power of healing.

3. Magnifying the Faith!
What happened to Mary is unrepeatable. The birth of Jesus would indeed be Good News for
our world for all time. Believe, then, is the message. “His mercy is on them that fear him
throughout all generations.” Faith in Jesus is to be magnified. When a person accepts Jesus
into their hearts and believes that he is the Saviour, then can be said, echoing Elizabeth's
words, “God has come to me.” We look forward to the faith being magnified, when as Jesus
said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born
again(anew).”

Conclusion:
Let us then use the time we have to open our eyes and hearts to God. We can re-affirm the
words of the Magnificat. “My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my
Saviour.” God's blessings on you all.