RBWords

     These first words of the "Canticle of Mary," better known as the "Magnificat," really sum up the theological basis of most of Catholic faith about the Mother of God.  The scriptural witness is somewhat sparse but the tradition that has come down to us is rich in its reflection.  The action of Pope Pius XII in 1950 in which he declared the assumption of Mary to be a dogma of Catholic faith was not much more than a description of what was universally believed by Catholics.  

The essence of this dogma is not simply what God did for Mary, but also what God can do for us as well.  We all aspire to have eternal life.  Mary's participation took place immediately on her death.  Where she has gone we hope to go.

     However, the words of the Magnificat call attention to so many other elements of Catholic Marian devotion.  Almost every country has its own devotional relationship, as is clear from the tremendous number of images at the large church in Nazareth at the traditional location of the home of the Holy Family.  Whatever that devotion may be (and some are a bit over the top at times), it has to be founded on the faith that it is God who has done these great things for Mary.  As a Dominican friar, I find the traditional devotion of the Rosary to be sufficient for my own needs.  But every day at Evening Prayer, the whole church recites the Magnificat to remind us of God's wondrous deeds.  We Dominicans also recite or sing the Salve Regina as a tribute to the singular importance of the Mother of God in our lives.  This year, in the U.S.A., the feast falls on a Monday and so the obligation to attend Mass is not enforced, but that convenience takes nothing from the truth about the woman.  She is very special to us!   AMEN