"He has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness"

[MariaChristi]

December 22

Commentary of the day
Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716), preacher, founder of religious communities
Treatise on true devotion to the Virgin Mary, 1-6
“He has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness”

In her life Mary was very hidden. This is why she is called “Alma Mater” by the Holy Spirit and the Church: she is a Mother, hidden and secret. Her humility was so profound that she had no other more powerful and continual characteristic while on earth than that of hiding herself from herself and from every other creature that she might be known by God alone.

To satisfy the pleas she made to him to hide, impoverish and humble her, God was pleased to conceal her in her conception, birth, life, mysteries, resurrection and assumption with regard to practically every human creature. Even her parents did not know her and the angels frequently asked each other: “Quae est ista? Who is this?” (Sg 6,10) since the Most High hid it from them or, if he made something of it known to them, he hid from them even more…

What great and hidden things this mighty God did within this marvellous creature, as she herself was obliged to say in spite of her profound humility : « The Almighty has done great things for me ». The world does not know them since it is incapable and unworthy of them.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It continues to be a certain sadness within me that Mary is so neglected by the men and women of our time. Even Catholics who have been given much (if they truly sought deeper into the Faith in which they were baptized) seem to ignore her. Sometime ago, I posted from an article: “Her own received her not” and that sentiment remains with me. It seems like Bethlehem all over again: Mary brings Jesus with her and hears only from so many: “There is no room”.

Mary continues, to give us a model of humility and also a model for our joy. Love and joy are fruits of the Holy Spirit and it is with Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can truly say, “I rejoice in God my Savior”. It is because God has had regard for our lowliness, and done great things for us, – not that we have done anything without His Grace. As St. Therese of Lisieux so wisely said, “Everything is grace!”

By our Baptism we are given His Life within us and His Charity urges us to go with haste to bring Jesus to others.

 

[hazcompat]

From the Divine Office for today:

Second reading
From a commentary on Luke by Venerable Bede, priest
The Magnificat

Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

The Lord has exalted me by a gift so great, so unheard of, that language is useless to describe it, and the depths of love in my heart can scarcely grasp it. I offer then all the powers of my soul in praise and thanksgiving. As I contemplate his greatness, which knows no limits, I joyfully surrender my whole life, my senses, my judgment, for my spirit rejoices in the eternal Godhead of that Jesus, that Savior, whom I have conceived in this world of time.

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Mary looks back to the beginning of her song, where she said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Only that soul for whom the Lord in his love does great things can proclaim his greatness with fitting praise and encourage those who share her desire and purpose, saying: Join with me in proclaiming the greatness of the Lord; let us extol his name together.

Those who know the Lord, yet refuse to proclaim his greatness and sanctify his name to the limit of their power, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. His name is called holy because in the sublimity of his unique power he surpasses every creature and is far removed from all that he had made.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

In a beautiful phrase Mary calls Israel the servant of the Lord. The Lord came to his aid to save him. Israel is an obedient and humble servant, in the words of Hosea: Israel was a servant, and I loved him.

Those who refuse to be humble cannot be saved. They cannot say with the prophet: See, God comes to my aid; the Lord is the helper of my soul. But anyone who makes himself humble like a little child is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

The promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.

This does not refer to the physical descendants of Abraham, but to his spiritual children. These are his descendants, sprung not from the flesh only, but who, whether circumcised or not, have followed him in faith. Circumcised as he was, Abraham believed, and this was credited to him as an act of righteousness.

The coming of the Savior was promised to Abraham and to his descendants for ever. These are the children of promise, to whom it is said: If you belong to Christ, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs in accordance with the promise.

Peace

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

I like thinking of her the symbol of “receptivity” – I read that once and think about it a lot.

 

[MariaChristi]

From the Divine Office for today:

Second reading
From a commentary on Luke by Venerable Bede, priest
The Magnificat

Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

The Lord has exalted me by a gift so great, so unheard of, that language is useless to describe it, and the depths of love in my heart can scarcely grasp it. I offer then all the powers of my soul in praise and thanksgiving. As I contemplate his greatness, which knows no limits, I joyfully surrender my whole life, my senses, my judgment, for my spirit rejoices in the eternal Godhead of that Jesus, that Savior, whom I have conceived in this world of time.

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Mary looks back to the beginning of her song, where she said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Only that soul for whom the Lord in his love does great things can proclaim his greatness with fitting praise and encourage those who share her desire and purpose, saying: Join with me in proclaiming the greatness of the Lord; let us extol his name together.

Those who know the Lord, yet refuse to proclaim his greatness and sanctify his name to the limit of their power, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. His name is called holy because in the sublimity of his unique power he surpasses every creature and is far removed from all that he had made.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

In a beautiful phrase Mary calls Israel the servant of the Lord. The Lord came to his aid to save him. Israel is an obedient and humble servant, in the words of Hosea: Israel was a servant, and I loved him.

Those who refuse to be humble cannot be saved. They cannot say with the prophet: See, God comes to my aid; the Lord is the helper of my soul. But anyone who makes himself humble like a little child is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

The promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.

This does not refer to the physical descendants of Abraham, but to his spiritual children. These are his descendants, sprung not from the flesh only, but who, whether circumcised or not, have followed him in faith. Circumcised as he was, Abraham believed, and this was credited to him as an act of righteousness.

The coming of the Savior was promised to Abraham and to his descendants for ever. These are the children of promise, to whom it is said: If you belong to Christ, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs in accordance with the promise.

Peace

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks for your reply and the quote from Venerabe Bede. Many gifted writers have pondered and prayed Mary’s “Magnificat”, and the Church includes her Magnificat as part of Vespers every evening in the Divine Office.

Members of the Legion of Mary are required to pray the Magnificat daily and so I try to pray it as early as I can each day. The more we listen to Scripture the more we hear God speaking to us. In the Magnificat, we hear first what He inspired Mary to say and Luke to write, and then we begin to hear what her words are meant to convey for the life of the whole Church and through the Church for the whole world.

O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen. – Prayer of Fr. Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)

 

[MariaChristi]

I like thinking of her the symbol of “receptivity” – I read that once and think about it a lot.

Dear Mystical Seeker,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, Mary is certainly a symbol of “receptivity” to God. From the first instant of her Immaculate Conception, she was always receptive to God’s Will as He made it known to her. She never refused Him, but was always ready to say, “Yes” and to do whatever He asked of her. She remained sinless and thus is not only our Mother, given to us by Jesus from His Cross, but our model in every virtue.

May we too, by the power of the Holy Spirit, learn from Mary to say “yes”, to be receptive to His grace, willing to do whatever He asks of us each moment of our lives.

 

[thistle]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It continues to be a certain sadness within me that Mary is so neglected by the men and women of our time. Even Catholics who have been given much (if they truly sought deeper into the Faith in which they were baptized) seem to ignore her. Sometime ago, I posted from an article: “Her own received her not” and that sentiment remains with me. It seems like Bethlehem all over again: Mary brings Jesus with her and hears only from so many: “There is no room”.

Mary continues, to give us a model of humility and also a model for our joy. Love and joy are fruits of the Holy Spirit and it is with Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can truly say, “I rejoice in God my Savior”. It is because God has had regard for our lowliness, and done great things for us, – not that we have done anything without His Grace. As St. Therese of Lisieux so wisely said, “Everything is grace!”

By our Baptism we are given His Life within us and His Charity urges us to go with haste to bring Jesus to others.

I guess you haven’t been to the Philippines!!

 

[MariaChristi]

I guess you haven’t been to the Philippines!!

Dear thistle,

Thanks for your reply. You are right; I have not been to the Philippines. I do have friends however, who are very devoted to Mary, and they are from the Philippines.

My sadness stems mainly from what I have experienced as an Irish Catholic living in the USA and one who has seen Marian devotion here wane. It has decreased in Ireland, once so fervently Catholic, and in other countries – as I’ve watched news from all over the world. We can see the results. As Saint John Paul II said to the Legion of Mary, in 1982:

…for its birth and growth, apostolic work looks to her who gave birth to Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Where the Mother is, there too is the Son. When one moves away from the Mother, sooner or later he ends up keeping distant from the Son as well. It is no wonder that today in various sectors of secularized society, we note a widespread crisis of faith in God, preceded by a drop in devotion to the Virgin Mother.

Recently I saw a video in which the commentator noted how the Philippines is becoming so “westernized” that their culture is changing. I hope they will stay close to Mary and help the Catholic Church to renew our Marian devotion, passed down for centuries.

I just finished re-reading “Our Lady of Kibeho” and continue to recommend this little book to anyone who is unfamiliar with the approved Apparition in Kibeho. See HERE. Today, on the Feast of St. John the Beloved disciple, let us, by God’s Grace, hear Jesus’ words more deeply: “Behold your Mother” and do as John did, taking Mary into our lives, learning from her to keep the Word of God.