Reflect today on the twofold process of proclamation and joy of Mary in the Magnificat

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior ”. Luke 1: 46–47

There is an old question that asks, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Well, perhaps it is a secular "question" because only God knows the answer to how he created the world and all the creatures within it.

Today, this first verse of the glorious hymn of praise of our Blessed Mother, the Magnificat, asks us another question. "What comes first, to praise God or to rejoice in Him?" You may never have asked yourself this question, but both the question and the answer are worth thinking about.

This first line of Mary's hymn of praise identifies two actions that take place within her. She "proclaims" and "rejoices". Think about these two inner experiences. The question can best be formulated this way: Did Mary proclaim God's greatness because she was first filled with joy? Or was she full of joy because she had first proclaimed God's greatness? Perhaps the answer is a little of both, but the ordering of this verse in Holy Scripture implies that she first proclaimed and was consequently joyful.

This is not just a philosophical or theoretical reflection; rather, it is very practical that it offers a meaningful insight into our daily life. Often in life we ​​wait to be "inspired" by God before thanking and praising him. We wait until God touches us, fills us with a joyful experience, answers our prayer and then we respond with gratitude. This is good. But why wait? Why wait to proclaim God's greatness?

Should we proclaim God's greatness when things are difficult in life? Yes. Should we proclaim God's greatness when we don't feel his presence in our life? Yes. Should we proclaim God's greatness even when we encounter the heaviest of crosses in life? Surely.

The proclamation of God's greatness should not be done only after some powerful inspiration or answer to prayer. It should not be done only after experiencing the closeness of God. Announcing the greatness of God is a duty of love and must always be done, every day, in every circumstance, whatever happens. We proclaim the greatness of God primarily for who he is. He is God. And he is worthy of all our praise for that fact alone.

It is interesting, however, that the choice to proclaim God's greatness, both in good times and in difficult ones, often also leads to the experience of joy. It seems that Mary's spirit rejoiced in God, her Savior, mainly because she had first proclaimed His greatness. Joy comes from first serving God, loving him and giving him the honor due to his name.

Reflect today on this twofold process of proclamation and joy. The proclamation must always come first, even if it seems to us that there is nothing to rejoice about. But if you can engage in proclaiming God's greatness, you will suddenly find that you have discovered the deepest cause of joy in life - God himself.

Dearest Mother, you have chosen to proclaim the greatness of God. You have recognized His glorious action in your life and in the world and your proclamation of these truths has filled you with joy. Pray for me that I may also try to glorify God every day, regardless of the difficulties or blessings I receive. May I imitate you, dear Mother, and also share your perfect joy. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus I believe in you.