Sonja Corbitt Archives

Israel, His Servant – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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“[T]he Church of Christ discovers her ‘bond’ with Judaism by ‘searching into her own mystery.’ The Jewish religion is not ‘extrinsic’ to us, but in a certain way is ‘intrinsic’ to our own religion. With Judaism, therefore, we have a relationship which we do not have with any other religion. You are our dearly beloved brothers and, in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers. (Pope John Paul II at the Great Synagogue of Rome, April 13, 1986).

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

The Three Israels

Israel #1 – Jacob

Genesis 32:22-32, The angel of the Lord changes Jacob’s name to Israel
Genesis 25-33, Jacob’s story, personification of the nation

Israel #2 – The Jewish Nation

Genesis 49, the twelve tribes of Israel
history of the nation
Matthew 24, the “end of the world” as they knew it at the destruction of the Jewish temple (the center and symbol of Jewish life) in 70 AD
Romans 11, restoration at the end

Israel #3 – The People of God

John 8: , Abraham’s children
Romans 2:28, 29, For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Revelation 19:8, 21:9-10, the Church, the “New Israel” and “New Jerusalem”
every author of every book of Scripture, except Luke, was Jewish

EPISODE RESOURCES

I Wrestled with God and Won article on Jacob’s confrontation with God at the Jabbok river

Discussion of the significance of Esau selling his birthright is located in chapter three of Unleashed.

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 63, Israel is the priestly people of God, “called by the name of the LORD”, and “the first to hear the word of God”, the people of “elder brethren” in the faith of Abraham.

CCC 877, In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus instituted the Twelve as “the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy.”

LOVE the Word(TM) is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice. This week’s LOVE the Word(TM) exercise is based on a Franciscan* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Receive the Word)

“Jesus said to her…’We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews’” (Joh 4:22).

Observe (Connect the passage to recent events.)

Find a local synagogue and attend a Sabbath (Shabbat) service, or watch this video. Observe the similarities and differences between what constitutes Sabbath practice for the Jewish people, and what your Sunday liturgy, worship and practice look like. Imagine Jesus observing Sabbath like this!

Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)

Remembering that Mary and Joseph, Jesus, and the apostles were all Jewish, pray for the Jewish people, your “elder brothers” in faith. Offer your thoughts and feelings to God.

Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)

Lord Jesus, let Your prayer of unity for Christians become a reality, in Your way. We pray and long for the day when we are one as You and the Father are one. Help us know when and how to cooperate in that unity. Amen
.

*LOVE the Word(TM) exercises, vary weekly according to the four personalities, or “prayer forms,” explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Ignatian, Augustinian, Franciscan, and Thomistic.

He Fills the Hungry – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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If you’re not famished for spiritual things, chances are it’s not because you have feasted and are satisfied, but that you have snacked on junk food away from the true table. When your soul is stuffed with small things, there is no room for the great.

If you don’t have a hunger for God, perhaps it is because your god is your belly: “Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Phil 3:19).

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

LOVE the Word(TM) is a method of Bible study based on Mary’s own practice. This week’s LOVE the Word(TM) exercise is based on an Augustinian*personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Receive the Word)

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:35).

Observe (Connect the passage to recent events.)

On a daily basis, as you approach each next meal, do you allow yourself to get hungry or do you eat something as soon as you feel the early pangs?

Practice delaying your meals to allow yourself to get hungry before you eat. As you do so, and especially as you fast this next Friday for Lent, pay attention to your hunger pangs. Ask yourself, In my world, what am I most hungry for—right now, this year, for the rest of my life? Be specific. Perhaps just the question has every hunger you’ve ever experienced surfacing, leaping out of the water like spawning salmon. You may answer: “I want a bag of potato chips.” And maybe that’s true on the surface. But what’s under that desire? Are you actually hungry, or bored or sad instead? Can a bag of chips relieve any of those deeper longings? Why are you bored? Why are you sad?

Maybe the first question is, What am I really hungry for? But to get deeper and know what we yearn for, we have to keep asking why till we get all the way to the bottom of the desire. It’s very important to know what a true hunger is, because that may actually be what God wants to give me.

Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)

Talk to Him about your desires and longings until you get to the bottom of what you’re really hungry for. Ask God for that, because “He rewards those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). What do you need to do to “diligently seek Him”?

Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)

Receive the Eucharist with the intention that God might satisfy your hunger. Pray for that intention, and thank Him for the answer to that prayer, before you see the answer, as you kneel in His presence after Communion.
.

He Puts Down and Exalts – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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The most common cop-out against God, religion, or Christianity is “all the evil in the world.” What about the evil in me? Doesn’t the evil in me deserve acknowledgment and punishment? Doesn’t my selfishness help cause and perpetuate “all the evil in the world”?

God allows suffering partly because humanity’s evil works it and deserves it, but He redeems suffering to reveal something else. “He has shown strength with His arm” means He has bared His arm. The image is God baring His muscle to use His power. What is He doing?

He is revealing Himself, which turns everything on its head, and shows us reality is not defined by human reasoning, but by God’s Is-ness – which is very different from our own. God is establishing His Kingdom in an evil world: He treats me better than I deserve and teaches me to do the same for others. Mary recognizes His revolutionary presence, and her Magnificat reminds me that in the turmoil of evil and suffering, God is quietly turning everything right-side up with sacrificial love.

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

This week’s LOVE the Word exercise (interactive scripture meditation, or lectio divina) is based on an Ignatian* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Lectio)

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, ‘I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself’ … And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them” (Gen 3:7-10, 20).

Observe (Meditatio)

Imagine you are in the Garden of Eden, as Adam or Eve, just before these verses. What do you see around you? Are there animals? How does it feel in your skin? What’s the climate like? What do you hear? What are you thinking? What does it feel like to walk with each other and with God “in the cool of the day”? What do you smell? What does that fruit taste like as its juice bursts onto your tongue?

Now, read the passage again.

Where, lately, have your “eyes opened” to sin? What do you feel now, that you did not feel moments before you recognized or felt the consequences of that sin? What is different? Why are you afraid? As you hear God approaching for His daily walk with you, why are you hiding? What are you hiding? Do your fig leaves help? Hear Him call your name. What will you do, now, with the death that follows sin?

Verbalize (Oratio)

What thoughts and emotions bubble to the surface as you read and meditate on this passage? Have you allowed God to clothe you with His sacrificial forgiveness? Talk to Him about your thoughts and feelings. What does He want you to do?

Entrust (Contemplatio)

Tell Him what you will do. End your meditation by offering Him the fruit of this LOVE the Word exercise – what He wants you to do and what you resolve to do. Ask Him for the grace to obey and to continue in obedience, and to leave outcomes to Him.

*Interactive scripture meditations, LOVE Exercises, vary weekly according to the four personalities, or “prayer forms,” explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Ignatian, Augustinian, Franciscan, and Thomistic.

The Strength of His Arm – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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Most of what we consider “life” is sandwiched between two periods of inactive helplessness – birth/infancy and death. Weakness and dependence straddle human life. Helplessness, then, cannot be inferior to independence.

This punctuation at both ends of my doing seems designed to teach, and even warn me, that neither the beginning nor the completion of my life depends on me. Therefore the value of my lifespan is not solely dependent on the strength, activity, work, or ability to contribute to society that I place so much value on.

Mary’s Magnificat teaches me that the might of God’s arm depends on what we express in receiving, not what we express in achieving.

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Isaiah 53:1, 53:2 ff, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Habakkuk 3:4, His brightness was like the light, rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power.

Psalm 77:10-20, Your way was in the sea And Your paths in the mighty waters, And Your footprints may not be known.

2 Corinthians 12:9, But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Joel 3:10 Let the weak say, I am strong.

Psalm 37:1-6, Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday.

Matthew 7:9-11, Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Episode Resources

My Promise and Purpose Await in Integrity, Sonja Corbitt

Redemptoris Mater, (John Paul II) She knows that as such she can point out to her Son the needs of mankind, and in fact, she “has the right” to do so. Her mediation is thus in the nature of intercession: Mary “intercedes” for mankind. And that is not all. As a mother she also wishes the messianic power of her Son to be manifested, that salvific power of his which is meant to help man in his misfortunes, to free him from the evil which in various forms and degrees weighs heavily upon his life (29).

This week’s LOVE the Word exercise (interactive scripture meditation, or lectio divina) is based on a Thomistic* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Lectio)

“Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor 12:8-9).

Observe (Meditatio)

Consider weakness. Reflect upon it. To whom does this verse apply? What does this verse mean? Where is the connection between our weakness and God’s strength? When is God’s power clearly seen? Why does Paul “boast of his weakness”?

What circumstance in your life right now is God calling you to remain weak, in order that the strength of His arm may be revealed? Do you want to see Him move mightily on your behalf? How do you need to change your approach in order to be obedient to this call? What might happen if you “pass over” with Jesus by purposely allowing yourself to remain weak? How is this approach like “the little way” of St. Therese of Lisieux?

Verbalize (Oratio)

Talk to God about your fears, concerns, and desires in the circumstance you named, above. Ask Him, with Jesus and Mary, St. Therese and all the saints, to help you rest deliberately in your weakness. Ask to see Him work and move on your behalf.

Entrust (Contemplatio)

End your meditation by fully entrusting the circumstance to Him. You may have to repeat this prayer many times as you wait on the Lord: “Jesus, I trust in you.”

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.

We’re all sweating and dirty with the effort to love and lift all He’s given to us – those people, duties, callings, and longings that break our hearts and make them sing, sometimes at the same time. But most times, we need to be loved and lifted ourselves.

So her Bible study media are created with you in mind, bites of spinach that taste like cake, to help you make space in your busy heart and schedule for God to love and lift you all the way up into His great lap, where all you’ve been given is loved and lifted too.

From Generation to Generations – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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“Do not consider this genealogy a small thing to hear: for truly it is a marvelous thing that God should descend to be born of a woman, and to have as His ancestors David and Abraham” (St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew).

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Exo 34:7 “keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Matthew 1 & Luke 3:23, genealogies of Jesus

2 Samuel 7:12, Promise to David concerning Christ, royal line of David, that He should spring from him, and reign for ever. Confirmed in Psalm 88 and 131; repeated to Solomon, David’s Son, 1 Kings 9:5.

Genesis 22:18, Promises to Abraham concerning Christ

Genesis 14:13, Abram called “Hebrew” for the first time (from nation called Eber, meaning to cross over or pass through)

Episode Resources

My Promise and Purpose Await in Integrity, Sonja Corbitt

This week’s LOVE exercise (interactive scripture meditation, or lectio divina) is based on a Franciscan* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Lectio)

“And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation” (Luk 1:50).

Observe (Meditatio)

Sometime this week, visit someone in your family who is old. If there is no one in your family who is aged or who lives close by enough for a visit, go to a nursing home unannounced and ask permission to visit an elderly patient who rarely has visitors.

Verbalize (Oratio)

Talk to this person about God’s mercy. What do you have in common? What is different?

Entrust (Contemplatio)

Before you leave, pray for this person and all his/her ancestors and descendants. In your prayer, entrust them all to God along with your own ancestors and descendants. Ask God to bless and help your new friend, and add him or her to your daily prayer list.

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.

Holy Is His Name – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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The Name of the Lord is salvation, so that Jesus can promise, “anything you ask in my Name, I will do it” (Jn 14:13-14).

The third commandment, “You shall not take the Name of the Lord God in vain,” is most often applied to cursing or similar abuse of His name, but in the Scriptures “vanity” is consistently used to illustrate worthlessness, emptiness, or futility (see Ecclesiastes). Therefore, rather than something we necessarily do, it is more often something we don’t do.

When we neglect to call on the Name of the Lord when we need help (salvation), we have taken His name in vain. His name lies empty for us. We do not know it or experience it, and so we render it worthless in our lives. This is the fullness of what it means to “take the Name of the Lord in vain.”

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women,” (Luke 1:28), the angel to Mary.

“Blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42), Elizabeth to Mary

“Holy Mary,” (Luke 1:48), blessed = beatified, holy

“Mother of my Lord,” (Luke 1:48), Elizabeth

Episode Resources

Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Proverbs 18:10, The Name of the Lord is strong tower.

Judges 13, Manoah and his wife see the angel of the Lord. “So Manoah arose and followed his wife. When he came to the Man, he said to Him, ‘Are You the Man who spoke to this woman?’ And He said, ‘I am’” (Judg. 13:11). “Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing is secret?” (13:18). “secret, too wonderful, mysterious”

Exodus 3:14-15, God reveals His Name to humanity.

Exodus 34:5, God reveals His “glory” to Moses in the cleft of the Rock, and His “glory” is His Name.

List of some of the “names” God’s people gave Him throughout the scriptures:

Jehovah-Nissi (Ex. 17:15) The-Lord-My-Banner (flag)
Jehovah-Raah (Ps. 23:1) The-Lord-My-Shepherd
Jehovah-Jireh (Gen. 22:14) The-Lord-Will-Provide
Jehovah-Rapha (Ex.15: 26) The-Lord-That-Healeth
Jehovah-Shalom (Judg. 6:24) The-Lord-Is-Peace
Jehovah-Shamma (Ez. 48:35) The-Lord-Is-There
Jehovah-Sabaoth (1 Sam. 1:3) The-Lord-Of-Hosts (armies)
Jehovah-Tsidkenu (Jer. 23:6) The-Lord-Our-Righteousness
Jehovah-Oz (Is. 12:2) The-Lord-My-Strength
YAH (Ps. 68:4; poetic form of Yahweh) The-Lord-Is-A-Poet
Jehovah-Mekoddishkem (Lev. 20:8) The-Lord-Who-Sanctifies-You
Qanna (Ex. 34:14) Jealous
Jehovah-Baal (Is. 54:5) The-Lord-Your-Husband
Jehovah-Derek (Judg. 18:6) The-Lord-Your-Way
Jehovah-Zimrath (Ex. 15:2) The-Lord-My-Song
Jehovah-Nasa (Ps. 99:8) The-Lord-Who-Forgives
El Roi (Gen. 16:13) The-God-Who-Sees

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” (Phil. 2:9-10).

“‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Deut. 5:11).

This week’s LOVE exercise (interactive scripture meditation, or lectio divina) is based on an Augustinian* personality approach. Go on! Try it!

Listen (Lectio)

As you read through the words of the following verse, imagine Jesus saying these words directly to you.

“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).

Observe (Meditatio)

Read this verse again, emphasizing each word in turn, like this:

“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).

“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).

“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).

“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Joh 14:13-14).

Emphasize each word in turn until you have stressed the all. What do you notice?

Verbalize (Oratio)

What does a concentration on every one of Jesus’ words, here, tell you personally? What does Jesus want you to know? What does He want you to do now?

Tell Him, now, what’s on your heart.

Entrust (Contemplatio)

Perhaps you’d like to take a few minutes to simply wonder in this extraordinary promise and entrust yourself to Him anew.

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.

All Generations Will Call Me Blessed – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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The Rosary is so powerful a prayer because it re-presents, or makes present again, the events of the Gospels each time and within the context it is prayed. “For Christians, the first of books is the Gospel and the Rosary is actually the abridgment of the Gospel” (Lacordaire).

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women,” (Luke 1:28), the angel to Mary.

“Blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42), Elizabeth to Mary

“Holy Mary,” (Luke 1:48), blessed = beatified, holy

“Mother of my Lord,” (Luke 1:48), Elizabeth

Episode Resources

My Promise and Purpose Await in Integrity, Sonja Corbitt

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.

He Regards the Lowliness of His Handmaid – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

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“Why then is it the woman who is veiled? First, the woman is the model of Church (as pointed out by Saint Paul), and the Church is the mystical body of Christ. Much like the Eucharistic body of Christ is veiled under various layers, so too is the Church, and the woman represents Church.

Second, it is the woman that brings forth new life, the most profound manifestation of mystery capable in the created realm. It is the woman that gives birth to a new person and thereby changes the entire created order – even the angels are not capable of such a mystery. As Christ turned His blood into the Eucharistic food for his disciples, so too does the woman change her own blood into food for her infant.

We veil what is most sacred, and understood in this manner it is not so much that the woman wears a veil out of respect for the Church, but rather the Church gives a veil out of respect for the woman” (Jake Tawney).

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

2 Chronicles 16:9, For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his might in behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward him.

Genesis 49:26, The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of the eternal mountains, the bounties of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was separate from his brothers.

1 Corinthians 11:13-17, Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her pride? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

In Old Testament times, uncovering a woman’s head was seen as a way to humiliate a woman or to punish adultresses and those women who transgressed the Law (e.g.., Numbers 5:12-18, Isaiah 3:16-17, Song of Solomon 5:7).

John 12:1-8, Mary Magdalene uncovers her hair and anoints Jesus.

Episode Resources

My Promise and Purpose Await in Integrity, Sonja Corbitt

Veiling in the Liturgy, Jake Tawney

Covering Up for Others, Nan Balfour

CCC 490-492, To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.” The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as “full of grace”. In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God’s grace…

The “splendour of an entirely unique holiness” by which Mary is “enriched from the first instant of her conception” comes wholly from Christ: she is “redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son”. The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and chose her “in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love”.

INTERACTIVE SCRIPTURE MEDITATION EXERCISE (LECTIO DIVINA)

This week’s lectio exercise is based on an Ignatian approach. Go on! Try it!

Read (Lectio)

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Laz’arus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Laz’arus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

Meditate (Meditatio)

Place yourself in this narrative, first as Jesus, then Mary Magdalene, and lastly, as Judas. What do you see, hear, feel on or against your skin, smell, taste? What are your thoughts and emotions from each point of view as the episode plays out?

Pray (Oratio)

Talk to God about whatever rises up in your heart and mind. What do you sense He might want you to do this week? How do you feel about that?

Rest (Contemplatio)

Perhaps you’d like to take a few minutes to sit at Jesus’ feet like Mary Magdalene.

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.

My Spirit Rejoices in God My Savior – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:11 — 64.8MB) | Embed

Can you imagine how deliriously happy Mary must have been at the miraculous word of that angel as it took root in her? I wonder how many motherhood scenarios she imagined in her heart in the months before He arrived. What would He smell like, what would He look like, what would He be like? Did she fight heartburn and sew tiny clothes and embroider swaddling cloths?

What am I waiting for? When will my life take on that breathless anticipation with which I barely sleep three winks, and awaken before dawn to charge into whatever the new day holds?

I asked the Lord, once, why adulthood is solemnly bereft of such excitement, if we’re supposed to be such a joyful people. I asked if, just one more time, He might give me that experience, the I-can’t-sleep-I’m-so-excited giddiness of Christmas Eve. What followed has been a breathless discovery of His full-blown love and the desire of His heart for me through the Scriptures, faith to faith (Rom 1:17), word upon word.

Mary knows. It’s the Word of God that brings the crazy, twirly, fist-pumping joy.

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Romans 6:23, The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wisdom 11:16, One is punished by the very things by which he sins.

Revelation 12, Mary as Queen of Heaven and “the woman” of Genesis 3.

Revelation 12:17, Mary as our Mother: Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.

INTERACTIVE SCRIPTURE MEDITATION EXERCISE (LECTIO DIVINA)

This week’s lectio exercise is based on an Augustinian approach. Go on! Try it!

Read (Lectio)

As you read through the words of the Magnificat, above, imagine that Mary is speaking them directly to you about herself.

Meditate (Meditatio)

Revelation 12:7 (see above) is one place the Bible speaks of Mary as the mother of all Christians. Spend a few moments rewriting or re-wording Mary’s Magnificat so that it could be a prayer that Mary is praying for you and over you as your Mother, at this very moment in your life. Change or omit whatever words or phrases that do not apply to you. Close your eyes and imagine Mary praying this song over you today. Like this:

And Mary said: “Sonja’s (your name’s) soul magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoices in God her Savior…”

Pray (Oratio)

Pray your new prayer back to God for your own children and/or grandchildren. As you consider yourself, and then your own children or grandchildren as the object(s) of this prayer, what emotions and/or inspirations arise in you? What does God want you to do now?

Rest (Contemplatio)

Perhaps you’d like to take a few minutes to simply bask in the warmth of God’s love in giving you a spiritual mother in addition to His Son.

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.

My Soul Magnifies the Lord – Mary’s Magnificat, Word by Word with Sonja Corbitt

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:21 — 65.0MB) | Embed

Mary “magnified” the Lord, not because of the words she said or sang in praise of Him, but because Mary fulfilled God’s purpose for her to the fullest possible degree. Completely unhindered by sin, Mary evolved completely into the person God created her to be, and in so doing, her whole life magnified the Lord. Mary, herself, is the Magnificat.

For other episodes in this series, visit the Discerning Hearts Sonja Corbitt page

Scripture References for The Show

Luke 1:46-55, the words of the Magnificat

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
⁵²he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23, “The God of peace sanctify you wholly, that your whole spirit, and soul, and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Three divisions or “parts” to man:

spirit – Psalm 51:10, “Lord, create in my inward parts a right spirit.”
soul – Genesis 2:7, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
body – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Matthew 10:10, Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.

Mark 12:30-31, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Hebrews 11:1, (NJB) “Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen.” (KJV) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Joh 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

INTERACTIVE SCRIPTURE MEDITATION EXCERCISE (LECTIO DIVINA)

This week’s lectio exercise is based on a Thomistic approach. Go on! Try it!

Read (Lectio)

Colossians 3:23-24

(DRB) Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.

(KJV) And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

(NAB-A) Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.

(NJB) Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as done for the Lord and not for human beings, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving.

(RSV-CE) Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.

Meditate (Meditatio)

To whom is God speaking in these verses?

Which tasks of your daily life are most distasteful to you? What is is about those tasks that you find disagreeable? What does God mean by “whatever your task…”?

How do we do that? When and where in your daily routine, specifically, do these verses apply to you?

What does “heartily” or “from the heart” mean? Why are we doing our “work as unto the Lord”?

Who are we serving on a daily basis?

What does God mean by “you will receive the inheritance”? Which tasks done for the love of Christ in your heart merit reward?

Pray (Oratio)

As you consider that all the mundane jobs, chores, and duties of your station in life can accrue toward your eternal reward, what emotions and/or motivations do these verses inspire or provoke in you? Does it change how you will go about your daily routine from now on? How? What do you want to say to the Lord about that?

Rest (Contemplatio)

Perhaps you’d like to take a few minutes to thank Him for elevating such “little things” to eternity, so that none of it is wasted or useless.

For more resources and Sonja’s scripture meditation exercise for this episode visit the “Bible Study Evangelista“ website

Sonja’s books can found here

Sonja Corbitt is the Bible Study Evangelista. She’s a Catholic Scripture teacher with a story teller’s gift – a Southern Belle with a warrior’s heart and a poet’s pen.