“Wondrous Star of Night” by Andrew Weatherly
The power of magnification
Extol the Lord our God! — Psalm 99:5
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord …” — Luke 1:46
Magnification has two meanings, and if we consider each of them, no wonder Mary burst into a song of praise.
The first meaning is to make something appear larger, like a photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. It focused on a tiny, remote spot in our universe, but even there it discovered previously unknown galaxies, many larger than our Milky Way. Mary understood that as God looked closely at her soul, God magnified her precious merit despite her humble origins. It’s the sentiment we echo in the Christmas hymn “O, Holy Night” — till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
The second meaning is to extol or glorify. Mary praised God for choosing her to be the mother of the Messiah. The light she experienced in the Annunciation refracted through her soul, amplifying God’s love for all of humanity. This is the power of magnification. — KVT
How do our lives in Christ help us radiate God’s love to the world?
O God, in this Advent season may we rediscover — and treasure —the worth of all your children. Amen.