Elizabeth has just proclaimed the blessedness of Mary as she welcomed Mary’s Visitation. Mary’s response is her “Magnificat.” This canticle teaches us what it means to live A BLESSED LIFE.
Firstly, to live a blessed life is to be aware of God’s wonderful deeds. People will not be thankful unless they first get to acknowledge God’s grace at work in their lives. And it is usually the poor and the lowly who are quick at recognizing God’s grace. That is why Jesus addresses the good news to them.
Secondly, to live a blessed life is to be a conduit of God’s blessing to the rest of the world. It is to be an instrument of God’s mercy and justice, of God’s desire to fill the hungry and lift up the lowly by casting down the mighty from their thrones, or teaching a lesson to the greedy.
To be a blessing is to be an equalizing agent of God in society. It is to insist that nobody is above or below anybody, that we are all equal in dignity. There are no masters and no slaves. We are brothers and sisters. This is the radical message of Mary’s Magnificat. It is the same radical message of the blessed fruit of her womb.