And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)

“If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God.” Epictetus

Like a breathtaking waterfall plunging over the edge of a cliff, so are the words that burst out of Mary after greeting her cousin, Elizabeth. The praise that came out of Mary’s heart shows her true purity and trust in the Lord. She didn’t say, “Oh woe is me, I have to endure the stares of my family and the judgment of my friends because I’m pregnant out of wedlock.” Or, “I can’t believe I have to endure facing Joseph and telling him that I am pregnant. What will he do? What will he think?” Instead, she bursts forth with praise to the Lord. She understood in faith what had happened in her heart and in her womb. She had been uniquely blessed by God and she wasn’t afraid to express it.

Mary’s words have been immortalized in churches down through the ages. “The Magnificat” has been written into canticles in almost every major key since they are sung nearly every day around the world. Today even in Nicaragua, “The Magnificat” is a favorite prayer among peasants and is often carried as an amulet.

Think about something in your life where you know you have been uniquely blessed by God. What is your response to what God has done? Are you tempted to deny His blessing, to dwell on the possible negatives of the blessing rather than the positives?  Dwell on the glory of what God has done. Live your life as a constant “Magnificat.”

Write a few stanzas of your own song of praise for what God has done for you.