Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for December 22, 2025
Here is the video of today’s reflection.
The Youtube generated transcript for today’s reflection is:
I’m Monsignor Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. Coming to you from the altar of the Pieta in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. Today in the Gospel, three days before Christmas on December 22nd, we ponder Mary’s extraordinary Magnificat which the church uses every evening when we pray vespers to help us to know how to respond to the ongoing reality of the gift of God in the world. As Jesus comes as Emanuel, God with us, our hearts are supposed to explode just like Mary’s did when that same Emanuel was growing within her womb. What is that Magnificat? It is this great prayer. My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoice in God my savior. It’s only a soul that is focused on God that can magnify him rather than magnify ourselves. And Mary shows the extraordinary joy that comes from communion with the Lord. Mary likewise says therefore has done great things for me. Holy is his name. Is there anything greater that God could ever do for us than give himself to us, take on our humanity in order to make eternal life possible? We need to explode with joy in the Lord. Just like Mary, Mary describes how the Lord cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. But he fills the hungry with good things and the rich he sends away empty. In order to be able to appreciate what God does, we need to be lowly and humble. We need to be hungry for the various ways that the Lord wants to feed us. How fitting it is, for example, that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, literally called the house of bread, placed in a manger from which animals were accustomed to eat because he took on our humanity so that he would eventually be able to say to us,”This is my body given for you. Take and eat. This is the chalice of my blood poured out for you. Take and drink.” Mary’s Magnificat shows that God’s mercy extends from generation to generation to those who fear him, just as he promised to Abraham and to all his children from all ages. We too need to recognize that all of salvation history from Adam to Joseph and Mary to Jesus to our parents to ourselves and to those who will come after us are part of God’s big plan. And that plan is meant to be a saving plan. And that’s why three days before Christmas, we explode saying, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit too. Rejoice in God my savior.” God bless you.
The Gospel reading on which the reflection was based on:
Gospel
Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon 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,
and 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 remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.