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The Magnificat is a hymn of praise that was recited or sung by the Blessed Mother at the time of her visit to her cousin Elizabeth, shortly after the Annunciation. Picture yourself in the courtyard of Elizabeth's house... you can be a fly on the wall... Elizabeth cries out to Mary "How is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" And Mary replies singing God's praises:
"My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my
Savior for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has
done great things for me and holy is His name. He has mercy on those
who fear Him in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud in
their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the
lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away
empty.
He has come to the help of Israel His servant for he has remembered his
promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his
children forever."
Luke1:46-56
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
(Matthew 6: 9 – 13)
Pope John Paul II
“O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the Living, to you do we entrust the Cause of Life: Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born, of the poor whose lives are made difficult, of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy. Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our time. Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and the glory of God, the Creator and love of life.”
Prayer for intercession of Pope John Paul II
O Blessed Trinity,
We thank you for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II
and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care,
the glory of the cross of Christ,
and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through him.
Trusting fully in Your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary,
he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd,
and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary
Christian life and is
the way of achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession, and according to Your will,
the graces we implore,
hoping that he will soon be numbered among your saints. Amen.
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