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\\nHow Does Your Soul Magnify the Lord? \\u2013 An Advent Reflection from Msgr. John Esseff
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\\nMsgr. John Esseff reflects on the significance of the Magnificat and the theme of gratitude. He draws parallels between Mary’s experience of divine love and faith at the conception of Jesus and the spiritual awakening of Christians during Advent. The episode emphasizes humility, referencing biblical stories like Hannah\\u2019s sacrifice in Samuel and Mary’s humility in Luke’s Gospel. Msgr. Esseff relates these themes to contemporary Christian life, underscoring the transformative impact of recognizing Christ within oneself and the role of the Holy Spirit in deepening this awareness and fostering a global community of faith and humility.
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\\nReading 1 \\xa0\\xa01 SM 1:24-28
\\n“In those days,
\\nHannah brought Samuel with her,
\\nalong with a three-year-old bull,
\\nan ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
\\nand presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
\\nAfter the boy\\u2019s father had sacrificed the young bull,
\\nHannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
\\n\\u201cPardon, my lord!
\\nAs you live, my lord,
\\nI am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
\\nI prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
\\nNow I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
\\nas long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.\\u201d
\\nShe left Samuel there.
\\nGospel \\xa0LK 1:46-56
\\nMary said:\\u201cMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
\\nmy spirit rejoices in God my savior.
\\nfor he has looked upon his lowly servant.
\\nFrom this day all generations will call me blessed:
\\nthe Almighty has done great things for me,
\\nand holy is his Name.
\\nHe has mercy on those who fear him
\\nin every generation.
\\nHe has shown the strength of his arm,
\\nand has scattered the proud in their conceit.
\\nHe has cast down the mighty from their thrones
\\nand has lifted up the lowly.
\\nHe has filled the hungry with good things,
\\nand the rich he has sent away empty.
\\nHe has come to the help of his servant Israel
\\nfor he remembered his promise of mercy,
\\nthe promise he made to our fathers,
\\nto Abraham and his children for ever.\\u201dMary remained with Elizabeth about three months
\\nand then returned to her home.
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\\nMsgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. \\xa0Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta.\\xa0 \\xa0\\xa0He continues to offer direction and retreats for the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity.\\xa0 Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, \\xa0who would become a spiritual father to him.\\xa0 He has lived in areas around the world, \\xa0serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by \\xa0Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world, especially to the poor. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests, sisters, seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world. \\xa0\\xa0
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