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St. Bede on Mary's Magnificat
Well, I have been working away on some of the pictures that I took the last few days, and now that they are taking forever to upload I decided to put the 2nd reading from today's (The Feast of the Visitation - 5-31-13) Office of Readings out here for all of you to enjoy. It was such a beautiful thought to start the morning with - Mary as the supreme example of humility, love, virtue, etc. Enjoy!
Second reading
From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable, priest
Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord working in her
From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable, priest
Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord working in her
My soul proclaims the greatness
of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior. With these words Mary first acknowledges the special
gifts she has been given. Then she recalls God’s universal favors, bestowed
unceasingly on the human race.
When a man devotes all his thoughts to the
praise and service of the Lord, he proclaims God’s greatness. His observance of
God’s commands, moreover, shows that he has God’s power and greatness always at
heart. His spirit rejoices in God his savior and delights in the mere
recollection of his creator who gives him hope for eternal salvation.
These words are often for all God’s
creations, but especially for the Mother of God. She alone was chosen, and she
burned with spiritual love for the son she so joyously conceived. Above all
other saints, she alone could truly rejoice in Jesus, her savior, for she knew
that he who was the source of eternal salvation would be born in time in her
body, in one person both her own son and her Lord.
For the Almighty has done great
things for me, and holy is his name. Mary attributes nothing to her own merits. She refers all
her greatness to the gift of the one whose essence is power and whose nature is
greatness, for he fills with greatness and strength the small and the weak who
believe in him.
She did well to add: and holy is his name, to warn those who heard, and
indeed all who would receive his words, that they must believe and call upon
his name. For they too could share in everlasting holiness and true salvation
according to the words of the prophet: and it will come to pass, that everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved. This
is the name she spoke of earlier: and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
Therefore it is an excellent and fruitful
custom of holy Church that we should sing Mary’s hymn at the time of evening
prayer. By meditating upon the incarnation, our devotion is kindled, and by
remembering the example of God’s Mother, we are encouraged to lead a life of
virtue. Such virtues are best achieved in the evening. We are weary after the
day’s work and worn out by our distractions. The time for rest is near, and our
minds are ready for contemplation.
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