Magnificat

thumb|My soul magnifies the Lord. ... He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. The Magnificat also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary, and, in the Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos is a Christian hymn sung by Mary, the mother of God. Quotes My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. Luke 1:46-55 New Revised Standard Version And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Luke 1:46-55 King James Version Quotes about the Magnificat Union with God, the great aim of all prayer and all worship finds its clearest expression in the Magnificat at the end of the day office. All the joy of liturgical prayer leads to oneness with God, and flows out of him again: ‘And my spirit rejoiced in God my Saviour'. Odo Casel, The mystery of Christian worship, and other writings, p. 93. Mary knows that within her a child is gestating. For she thereupon composed a song. It is the greatest song in history. This "Magnificat" is the battle-hymn of democracy. Sensing a child within her, Mary feels herself equal to the Roman Empire; and she announces that the days of despotism are numbered. Caesar on his seven-hilled throne may sacrilegiously style himself Augustus, "the divine one." But Mary as confidently disallows him that title. Heaven is not on the side of privilege and oppression, she affirms, but is rather on the side of the trodden. Rome is great, but Galilee with God is greater. In this song three classes of people are objects of Our Lady's invective — " the proud," "the mighty," and "the rich." And she passes upon them a threefold sentence: they are to be "scattered," "put down from their seats," and "sent empty away." Bouck White, The Call of the Carpenter (1914), p. 22 The Magnificat that Mary recites to Elizabeth contains the interpretation of her personal mission, a mission that almost disappears in the greatness of God who conferred it upon her. She begins by exalting God and puts all the joy of her soul into this praise. She has always prayed in silence and will continue to do so as long as she lives. However, it is part of her mission to pray once before witnesses, in public. At this moment, God needs her as a follower who must respond to what Elizabeth perceives in her; this response is suggested to her by the Father himself and contains her entire message to Elizabeth and, through her, to humanity. Adrienne von Speyr, L'ancella del Signore: Maria (Magd des Herrn, 1948), translated into Italian by Lorenza Terenziani, Jaca Book, Milano, 2001, p. 47. ISBN 88-16-30377-8 The Magnificat shows us how carefully the Mother keeps all God's words in her heart. She says only what her mission requires, remaining silent about everything else. However, her words reveal that she knows much more. Her silence is not forgetfulness, but memory. She includes everything in her prayer and now, since her Son is in her womb, her prayer has become more indivisible than ever from that of her Son. Adrienne von Speyr, L'ancella del Signore: Maria (Magd des Herrn, 1948), translated into Italian by Lorenza Terenziani, Jaca Book, Milano, 2001, pp. 50-51. ISBN 88-16-30377-8 External links Category:Mariology