A Scriptural Aha

Sometimes, most times, I am a little slow on the uptake scripturally and spiritually speaking. However, every once in awhile I have an aha moment in that area. Such was the case this past Sunday morning as I was praying Morning Prayer with my Magnificat. 
The psalm for the morning was actually a passage from 1Samuel (1Kings 2:1~10 for you Douay~Rheims readers). It was Anna's canticle. Anna was one of two wives of Elcana. Anna was also barren, but prayed constantly that God would find favor with her and grant her a son, whom she would, in return, dedicate back to God. God does grant Anna's prayer and after the birth of her son, Samuel, she prays the following:

My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies: because I have joyed in thy salvation.  There is none holy as the Lord is: for there is no other beside thee, and there is none strong like our God. Do not multiply to speak lofty things, boasting: let old matters depart from your mouth: for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared. The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength. They that were full before have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she that had many children is weakened.The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to hell and bringeth back again. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he humbleth and he exalteth.  He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory. For the poles of the earth are the Lord's, and upon them he hath set the world.  He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.  The adversaries of the Lord shall fear him: and upon them shall he thunder in the heavens. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give empire to his king, and shall exalt the horn of his Christ.

As I was reading this passage, it started to sound very familiar to me. It suddenly dawned on me that similar words were spoken by our Blessed Mother in her Magnificat (Luke 1:46~54) during her visit with Elizabeth. 

Mary's Magnificat was drawn from her own knowledge of Scripture. I really should have known this, but it was only today that the Holy Spirit helped me to make the connection. This connection is also quite helpful to my own prayer as well. I have always had trouble praying the Magnificat which is part of Evening Prayer. This prayer always seemed too lofty for me to pray with any sincerity. I mean after all these were the words of the Mother of God! But when I saw today that Our Lady's beautiful prayer was steeped in Old Testament Scripture from a simple woman of deep faith, praying this beautiful prayer suddenly became easier and more meaningful.

I know Mary at the time of the Annunciation was a simple Jewish girl, but we know that she was set aside and chosen by God to be blessed among all women. Sometimes this makes it a little difficult for me to relate to Our Lady.

I thank the Holy Spirit for opening up Scripture to me in this way. I also thank God for the holy women of deep faith like Anna and Our Lady who show me through their lives what holiness should look like.