••• Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a,
10ab ••• Psalm 45 •• 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 •• + Luke 1:39-56 ••••
[__01__]
In the Gospel, Elizabeth personally and enthusiastically welcomes Mary as the
“mother of my Lord.” (Luke 1:43).
From Elizabeth, words of welcome are offered. These
words are a magnification, an indication of greatness, as all personal
accolades and acclaims are.
Elizabeth is honoring Mary, raising her up, explicitly
indicating her status.
Magnification.
Magnification is a technique or technology we impose …
so as to gain a better view.
Magnification comes in different styles and colors. Reading
glasses would be an example.
Magnification can help us to survive, to live… to detect
a typographical error or some other
problem.
[__02__] The state of the magnifying or magnification
art, today, may entice us or frighten us.
For example, Google map satellites that allow us an aerial view of our
homes, or the home we just visited or used to live in. This is enticing.
Or, frightening.. Who is, for example, listening to my
conversations? Could someone detect or magnify my COMPLETE Social Security Number based on a small fragment of 4 digits or
fewer.
Magnification can be risky …
[__03_] Mary herself responds to the greeting of
Elizabeth with hero won magnification, the prayer we traditionally call the
MAGNIFICAT …
“my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” (Luke
1:46, NAB) or, also …
“my soul doth magnify the Lord” (Luke 1:46,
Douay-Rheims)
[__03.01] Mary is the first magnifier of the Lord’s
physical presence. And, we are also called to magnify the original … to magnify
the original presence and gift of God’s grace within us to others.
What does this AUTHENTIC MAGNIFICAITON entail for you
and for me? What is the state of the art…spiritually?
We are, on the one hand, aware of what physical and
material magnification is…
[__04_] Magnification is, at times, only a
superficial aspect for visual special effect.
This is external.
The IMAX large screen at the cinema of Garden State
Plaza would be one example. We receive superficial magnification, a hyperbole
of dimension and sound.
Such magnification is inviting… enticing. Of course, it
is natural that we might enjoy some entertainment on the big screen, in its
oversize form.
The comfort or enjoyment of this magnification will be
temporary. The magnification is also provided by someone else.
[__05__]
Magnification.
I’d like to reflect on what we mean by magnification
from within. Internally.
Mary as the mother of our Savior speaks of magnifying
God’s presence.
[__06__] Magnification is a technique by which we
examine something small … or far away or …otherwise invisible.
In a spiritual sense, Mary magnified God’s presence
which – until the birth of our Savior –
also had appeared quite distant, quite
invisible.
And, isn’t it true that sometimes our choices to be
virtuous – to choose justice – also will cause our actions to be noticed,
magnified, seen?
We might prefer to be unseen – or un-magnified.
Consider that you or I might work in an environment, an
office, or to be part of a class or team at school – in which others do not
share our faith or values or ethics.
They may not know our limits, boundaries, choices.
But … we can make them known by what we do nor do not
do.
Consider the choice to be the one church goer in a
family …or in any other way that we may
“stand out” or be noticed for our values. Or, we may be the one person among
our friends choosing to go home early, to be honest.
Magnification is taking place magnified. However, we
are not being magnified in a superficial IMAX-big-screen fashion. It is
internal, happening inside.
Rather, we are magnifying God’s presence.
Magnification, then, is not an effect, after the fact.
Rather, magnification is our reason, our cause,
beforehand.
And through the sacraments of the Church and the grace
of God, we learn to magnify his presence each day. [__fin__]
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