Magnify the Lord

The texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary in Canada are in celebration of the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This celebration follows the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus yesterday. What is clear in the mystery around Mary is that she follows Jesus. The Collect prayer today petitions God that we may become, through the action of the Holy Spirit, as fitting a Temple for Jesus as is Mary. The Canticle which replaces the psalm today is Hannah's prayer which praises the great work of God and which Mary used to formulate her praise prayer, the Magnificat, in Luke's Gospel on becoming the Mother of God. Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the Gospel of Luke which describes the episode where Jesus leaves his parents at the age of twelve to speak with the Scribes and teachers in the Temple. As He is becoming aware of His Divinity, Friar Jude explains, He presents to Mary some additional components of the Mystery of God within us, which the 'heart' of Mary, her whole physical and spiritual person, held "under the veil" in a Holy Temple. Our earthen vessels become Temples of the Presence as we accept the invitation from God to intimate relationship. Mary is our mentor and model for magnification of the Lord.