Her Magnificat strengthens our resolve to work for justice

Some may think the idea of "social justice" is some new fangled Johnny-Come-Lately to our Catholic/Christian tradition. Mary reminds us that this is not so .... as the groovy Constitutions of the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace say - "Her Magnificat strengthens our resolve to work for justice."

Today on the Feast of the Visitation Mary's words are proclaimed in the Gospel:

And Mary said:
“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 his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Her words are a call to justice. A proclamation of God's love of the poor and oppressed. The Church says her words each evening in its prayer. But do we live it? I believe we are called to do so, no matter how hard the challenge. We can do nothing less.