Life to magnify the Lord

The passage from the Gospel of Luke from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven, is the "Magnificat", the Canticle of Mary. Commentators refer to it as the last of the Hebrew Testament Canticles and the first of the New Testament Canticles. The experience of Mary as the one who has replied "Yes" to the call of God to be the Mother of Jesus is chanted in words which recall the gracious action of God in the lives of earlier women (Hanna in 1 Samuel 2). The words proclaim the invitation of the Divine to Mary to participate in the fulfillment of the Promise made to Abraham. The action of God through Mary will scatter the proud, lift up the lowly and fill the hungry with good things. The role of Mary as example to believers is ongoing. Paul addresses the Corinthians to proclaim that the mission of Christ in accordance with the will of God is to overcome the rulers, authorities and powers in human life with the resurrected life of Jesus. The last enemy destroyed by Jesus is death. Our journey to live in the life where our soul magnifies the Lord and our Spirit rejoices in God is inspired and guided by the example of Mary and the advice of the psalmist to "consider and incline your ear".