Luke 1:46-56 NRSVue
46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 50indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; 53he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. 54He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
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Reflection on Luke 1:46-56
Inspiration from 2026-12-22 Daily Prayer
Visiting Elizabeth and with growing awareness of the gift she is carrying, Mary is inspired to break into the powerful words of the Magnificat, revealing a God who turns the world on its head. The God in whom Mary rejoices is on the side of the hungry and downtrodden rather than the rich and powerful.
Mary’s words announce the dream of God for the world, setting the agenda for the ministry of Jesus who came to ‘bring good news to the poor … to let the oppressed go free’ (Lk 4). It is the agenda for the Christian life too; our mission as followers of Jesus is to lift up all those who are suffering and broken. As Christmas approaches and we become aware of the needs around us, is there a local charity or cause that we can support with our time or material help?
Further reflection
With Mary, I count my blessings, not as a matter of pride or achievement, but to recognise where God is at work in my life.
Pride and humility are in the picture as Mary prays her Magnificat. Mary rejoices in being a blessed, lowly servant. I think of how this description relates to how I am now.
As the Mother of God moves towards the birth of her son these are her sentiments.
Can I slowly pray over her words and ask for the grace to share in the vision?
Mary’s /Magnificat/ is a prayer to savour. It echoes the song of Hannah in I Samuel 2,1. It places us at the cusp of the Old and New Testaments, charged with the longing of the Old, and savouring the fulfilment of the New. In the whole history of salvation, this is the moment of unalloyed joy. Mary is pregnant not merely with her child, but with dreams about a glorious future. A young mother overflows with gratitude for being the channel of God’s grace to humankind.