WRITE YOUR 

OWN  MAGNIFICAT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for December 22, is, “Write Your Own Magnificat!”

Most of us would respond: “You mean my ‘Insignficat?’”

I’m suggesting taking some time and write at least that - and then looking deeper  into one’s life, write one’s “Significat” - and bringing God into the picture, make it one’s Magnificat.

TODAY’S READINGS

In today’s first reading from 1^st Book of Samuel 1: 24-28, we have the story of Hannah. She goes to the temple of the Lord in Shiloh and makes a presentation to the Lord of her son. Then in the Psalm response - notice it’s not a psalm today - we have Hannah’s magnificat prayer to God - from the beginning of Chapter 2 of Samuel.

In today’s gospel from Luke 1: 46-56, we have Mary’s Magnificat , which we are more familiar with.

TRY THESE TWO MAGNIFICATS ON FOR SIZE

The thought hit me, “Write Your Own Magnificat!”

The first step would be to go through Hannah’s and then Mary’s magnificat and then ask, “Could I say this of myself?”

Could I say, “I’m giving myself to the Lord”?

Could I say, “My heart exults in the Lord”?

Could I say,  “My soul magnifies the Lord!”?

Could I say, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!”?

Could I say, “The Lord has done great things for me”?

Could I say, “There are times I fear the Lord”?

Could I say, “I realize that the hungry, the poor, the empty, the lowly are seen by God as the rich ones”?

Could I say, “When I look at my life I realize God has remembered to me his promise of mercy”?

WRITE YOUR OWN MAGNIFICAT

The title of my homily is, “Write Your Own Magnificat!”

My first draft would go something like this:

My soul magnifies  the goodness of the Lord  ---- sometimes.

My soul minimizes the goodness of the Lord  ---- sometimes.

The almighty has done great things for me: good family, good friends - great life so far. Thank You God for helping me to understand Chesterton’s words, “People are the million masks of God.”

The almighty has fed me with his bread when I was hungry and at times I was unaware of these riches - and so I walked away feeling I was empty.  Sorry God.

When I’m filled with myself, I sound so empty ---- sometimes.

When I’m poor or with the poor, I realize my riches ---- sometimes.

When I was proud he knocked me off my throne - scattering me till I admitted my conceit ---- sometimes.

When I realized I was his servant he came to my aid and in doing this I remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our ancestors.

When I’m stinking like a stable, You, Lord Jesus are born in the midst of my messes, so my soul does magnify the Lord ---- sometimes.

So Lord  help me to be like Mary and bring you to our world ---- all the time. Amen.