A Reflection from the Fuel Daily Readings App for the feast of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Click here to read the reading.

In today’s Gospel, we read Mary’s song of praise; the Magnificat. And boy, it is full of praise!

Take a moment to just remember the situation that Mary was in at the time, this was an unplanned pregnancy. It was just a few days after the Annunciation – when the Angel came to Mary to tell her she had been chosen by God to bring His Son to the world. And though she was betrothed to Joseph (like an engagement), they weren’t married yet.

An unplanned teenage pregnancy today can still raise eyebrows – can you imagine what it would have been like 2000 years ago in Judea?! I’ve tried to imagine how I would have responded if it were me and I’m sure I would have been terrified. Imagining what this had done to me, how this had impacted my life, what was going to happen to me. I think I would have made it about myself.

But Mary doesn’t do that. She is joyful and creates this beautiful song of praise (it’s pretty similar to Hannah’s song of praise when she finds out she’s pregnant with Samuel - 1Sam 2:1-10). Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth and shared this gift with her. “Why am I so honoured, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?” (v43). Mary isn’t thinking of herself, she already knows that this child is not ‘for her’, He is for us all.

St Teresa of Calcutta put it like this; ‘In the mystery of the Annunciation and the Visitation, Mary is the very model of the life we should lead. First of all, she welcomed Jesus in her existence; then, she shared what she had received.’

Try to take some time today and think about what Mary was doing. Instead of thinking about herself, she was already taking Jesus to others and being so joyful about it. Why not write your own ‘Magnificat’ – if you were to write a song of praise to God, what would you be thankful for? What would you praise God for?

+ Mary, thank you for your openness, your willingness to receive Christ and your passion to share Him with the world. May we be like you, passionate and joyful disciples, who are thankful for all the Lord has given to us and committed to sharing that joy with the world.