ISB ~ Luke 1 v46 - 55

The Magnificat (Latin for “magnifies”) is a hymn of praise and a recital of God’s covenant faithfulness. Mary extols humility (1:48) and rejoices in God’s blessings on the lowly (1:47, 52-53). The song also introduces the theme of God’s “mercy” (1:50, 54), which flows into the following episode (1:58, 72, 78) (CCC 2097, 2619).

•The Magnificat is imbued with themes and imagery from the OT. It closely resembles the Song of Hannah in 1 Sam 2:1-10, while other passages illumine the background (Ps 89:10, 13; 98:3; 111:9; Sir 33:12; Hab 3:18).