Today we celebrate the feast of the Visitation.
Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth; Elizabeth greets Mary as the mother of the Messiah and Mary gives the glory to God in joyful thanksgiving with the words of the Magnificat.
For Carmelites Mary is our patroness and inspiration, giving a human face to Jesus ‘the word made flesh’. She is the faithful disciple who brings the good news of salvation to all. The Magnificat tells us of salvation history and transformation, great wonders, and the birth of the messiah.
This prophetic canticle is revolutionary, the song of a young, poor, unmarried pregnant woman speaks of throwing down the powerful from their thrones and lifting the humble.
Mary’s Magnificat – Luke 1:46-55
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of the Almighty’s servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name. God’s mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation. God has shown strength with God’s arm; God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. God has helped servant Israel, in remembrance of God’s mercy, according to the promise God made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
