Today's Gospel contains the Magnificat. It is the prayer of Mary in response to the words of praise of her cousin Elizabeth at the time Mary, now carrying Jesus in her womb, goes to visit her older cousin, who is carrying John the Baptist. It resembles in many ways the prayer of Hannah in the Old Testament after she unexpectedly bore a son, to be called Samuel. Both songs reflect the goodness of God to the poor and the powerless. Mary thanks God that "he has looked on his lowly handmaid" and that from then on people will call her "blessed". As indeed they have. At the same time he brings down those who think they are powerful, something we see again and again in the history of the world. On the other hand, through Jesus himself and the thousands who have followed in his footsteps, "he has filled the hungry with good things while sending the rich empty away". Later Jesus will tell his disciples: "Blessed are the poor in spirit for the Kingdom of God belongs to them." To be poor with Christ is to be rich in many other ways. Let us ask the Mother of Jesus to help us understand this.