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The canticle of Mary was one of the canticles of the community of the first Christians. It reveals the level of awareness or consciousness and the firmness of the faith which animated her interiorly. Sung in the community, this canticle of Mary teaches us to pray and to sing.
• Luke 1, 46-50: Mary begins by proclaiming the change which is taking place in her life under the loving look of God, full of mercy. Because of this, she sings joyfully: “I rejoice in God, my Saviour”.
• Luke 1, 51-53: Afterwards she sings the fidelity of God toward his people and proclaims the change which the arm of the Lord was realizing in behalf of the poor and the hungry. The expression “arm of God” reminds us of the liberation of the Exodus. This is the force of salvation and of liberation of Yahweh which bring about the changes: he has routed the arrogant of heart (Lk 1, 51), he has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly (Lk 1, 52), he has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty (Lk 1, 53).
• Luke 1, 54-55: At the end Mary recalls that all this is the expression of God’s mercy toward his people and expression of his fidelity to the promises made to Abraham. The Good News seen not as a reward because of the observance of the Law, but rather as an expression of the goodness and of the fidelity of God to his promises. This is what Paul taught the Galatians and the Romans.
** Personal questions**
• The canticles are the thermometer of the life of the community. They reveal the degree of consciousness and of commitment. Examine the canticles of your community.
• Analyze the social conscience which comes from Mary’s canticle. In the 20th century after Christ, this canticle was censured by the military of Latin America because it was considered subversive.
