Monday, November 29 : Benedict XVI

The Magnificat is a canticle that reveals the spirituality of the biblical “anawim,” namely, of those faithful who acknowledged themselves “poor” not only because of their detachment from all idolatry of wealth and power, but also because of their profound humility of heart, free from the temptation to pride, open to saving divine grace. The whole Magnificat… is characterized by this “humility which indicates a situation of concrete humility and poverty… The soul of the prayer is, therefore, the celebration of divine grace that has come into Mary’s heart and life, making her the Mother of the Lord…: praise, thanksgiving, grateful joy. But this personal testimony is not solitary and private, merely individualistic, as the Virgin Mary is conscious that she has a mission to fulfill for humanity and that her life is framed in the history of salvation… With this praise to the Lord, the Virgin gives voice to all creatures redeemed after her “fiat,” who in the figure of Jesus, born of the Virgin, find the mercy of God… It is as if to Mary’s voice were joined that of the community of the faithful, which celebrates God’s amazing decisions… Evident is the “style” in which the Lord of history inspires his conduct: He places himself on the side of the least. Often, his plan is hidden under the opaque terrain of human vicissitudes, in which the “proud,” the “mighty” and the “rich” triumph. However, in the end, his secret strength is destined to manifest who God’s real favorites are: the “faithful” to his Word, “the humble,” “the hungry,” “his servant Israel,” namely, the community of the People of God that, as Mary, is constituted by those who are “poor,” pure and simple of heart.

maronite readings – rosary,team