Read article from The St. Catharines Standard
Faith Matters: We should look to Mary’s expressions of gratitude at Thanksgiving
“An attitude of gratitude also requires humility,” writes Gerard Bergie
By Gerard Bergie Contributing Columnist
Sunday, October 8, 2023
In my own faith tradition, October 7 is a feast dedicated to Mary and to praying the Rosary. On Monday, our country will celebrate Thanksgiving. I believe there is a connection between these two celebrations.
The link can be found in a simple attitude that we call gratitude.
Scripture tells us that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and asked her if she would be the mother of God. Mary said yes, and she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. During this encounter she was told that her cousin Elizabeth was also with child. Mary went quickly to visit her because Elizabeth was older and needed assistance. When Mary arrived, Elizabeth expressed words of praise, acknowledging that Mary was indeed the mother of God.
The Gospel of St. Luke states, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.’” (Luke 1:41-44)
For centuries, a portion of this beautiful dialogue has been repeated in the traditional prayer known as the Hail Mary. It begins, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.”
The Hail Mary is also an integral part of the Rosary prayer.
As the dialogue continues, Mary responds to her cousin with words of gratitude, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1: 46-49)
These words form the beginning of a prayer that is known as the Magnificat. It is a Latin word that is taken from the first sentence, Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum — My soul magnifies the Lord. At the heart of Mary’s response is joy.
To rejoice is to be filled with joy. This emotion becomes foundational to an attitude of gratitude.
A well-known evangelical pastor, Rev. Rick Warren, states that joy is “the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”
This is precisely what Mary did throughout her life. She chose quiet confidence over fear, especially when she was asked to be the mother of God. Trusting in God’s love brought Mary great joy throughout her life. She wanted to do God’s will.
An attitude of gratitude also requires humility, and we see this in Mary. She recognizes that all things come from God, and that they are unmerited gifts. Mary considers herself to be a humble servant who expects nothing in return. This attitude helps to form a grateful heart.