The Magnificat -- What Can We Learn From It?

[Polycarp1]

Issues related to the Mother of Jesus Christ, Mary the Theotokos, seem to be a popular subject here. It occurred to me that the one occasion when she says anything at length, other than the Annunciation, is the prophetic utterance recorded in Luke when she visits Elizabeth, which has been preserved by the more liturgical churches as the great canticle The Magnificat.

Here are, respectively, the KJV text from Luke, and the ICET translation used as a Canticle, of that passage:

[bible]Luke 1:46-55[/bible]

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on 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,
he 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 has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

I'm wondering what insights we can gain from this -- and in particular those from non-Mary-emphasizing traditions are asked to comment on what stands out to them in it.

 

[MadeInOz]

I don't think it's very prophetic, it seems more of a statement of fact, or fulfillment of God's promise. *shrug*

 

[InnerPhyre]

Seems prophetic to me. All generations of Catholic and Orthodox Christians from 33 AD to present have called her blessed.

 

[Polycarp1]

Well, the definition of "prophetic" I have always worked by is "speaking forth the Word of God" rather than "predicting the future" -- any self-styled psychic can do the latter, and phrase it vaguely enough to claim accuracy.

If, however, we can get past my choice of words in describing Mary's canticle printed above, what does it say to people? What in particular do you get out of it?

 

[InnerPhyre]

To me, it is a reminder to remain humble and work against my sense of pride (which is immeasurable).

 

[helmikaarina]

My task is to seek and ask what is my special mission in this life, what God has thought I should do. I should listen to him and then say like Mary: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

And whatever it is, trust in God.
"For nothing is impossible with God."

 

[SolomonVII]

Jesus really was his mother's son. A lot of what many people- even non-Christians- most admire about Jesus even today is the character traits that he shares with Mary.

 

[ksen]

Jesus really was his mother's son. A lot of what many people- even non-Christians- most admire about Jesus even today is the character traits that he shares with Mary.

Don't you think you may have that backwards? What people admire about Mary are the characteristics she shared with her Son?

 

[Oblio]

While Mary the Theotokos received the breath of life from God (as we all do), it was from her that Christ received His humanity, physical traits and character from. It was this humanity, from her and no one else that was joined without mixture or confusion to the Divine, thus making possible our Salvation.

 

[katherine2001]

Oblio is right. It is not backwards. He inherited much from His mother, and, of course, she raised Him, so she taught Him much also.

 

[Celticflower]

If, however, we can get past my choice of words in describing Mary's canticle printed above, what does it say to people? What in particular do you get out of it?

What I get out of it is this: even in the face of the most life changing events, whether for good or ill, whether they bring hardships or peace, I am to praise God for what He has done and what He is doing.

Celtie

 

[Benedicta00]

If, however, we can get past my choice of words in describing Mary's canticle printed above, what does it say to people? What in particular do you get out of it?

That Mary is the Mother of God- that she was immaculately conceived- that means born with out sin. That is what “all generations will call me blessed” means.

 

[SumTinWong]

That Mary is the Mother of God- that she was immaculately conceived- that means born with out sin. That is what “all generations will call me blessed” means.

Are you saying that is what it means to you, or are you saying that is literally what she said means?

 

[ksen]

That Mary is the Mother of God- that she was immaculately conceived- that means born with out sin. That is what “all generations will call me blessed” means.

She calls God her "Saviour." If she had no sin why did she need a Saviour?

 

[Benedicta00]

She calls God her "Saviour." If she had no sin why did she need a Saviour?

Who do you think saved her form the sin?? I am always amazed that we need to explain this. Of course God is her savoir, He is the one who created her and created her sinless.

 

[Benedicta00]

Look at what Mary says after she says God is her savior, “He who is mighty has done great things to me and holy is His name., from here forward all generations shall cal me blessed.” What do you think she was talking about f it was not the Immaculate Conception?

 

[Polycarp1]

Look at what Mary says after she says God is her savior, “He who is mighty has done great things to me and holy is His name., from here forward all generations shall cal me blessed.” What do you think she was talking about f it was not the Immaculate Conception?

Well, Michelle, *I* call her blessed for her humility and willingness to do what God asked of her, regardless of the consequences -- and I neither affirm nor deny the IC -- it's something that has some historical basis and logic but is, quite frankly, something between her and God, not my business nor a doctrine I need to believe.

But I think that the rest of us owe you Catholics and the Orthodox a word of thanks for "calling her blessed" through dozens of generations when we were failing to honor that prophecy -- in overreacting to the medieval over-focus on Mary.

I think you can find support for the IC doctrine in that passage, but I don't think it explicitly says precisely that. And that's an element of the reason I started this thread -- without getting into a Catholic vs. Protestant thing on Mary, what do the Scriptures depict her as? What can we learn from her in what she said in the Magnificat?

Do me and all of us a favor, and don't be quick to defend her in this thread -- for all of us, of whatever Christian walk, she's the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord, who undeniably said the words of the Magnificat. (Whether assumed into Heaven, immaculately conceived, ever virgin, or whatever, at minimum she is what I said.) And it's on that common ground that I'm hoping to find some truths in her words.

 

[Benedicta00]

I think you can find support for the IC doctrine in that passage, but I don't think it explicitly says precisely that. And that's an element of the reason I started this thread -- without getting into a Catholic vs. Protestant thing on Mary, what do the Scriptures depict her as? What can we learn from her in what she said in the Magnificat?

But when you do as Catholics do and we can not stop doing, read the scriptures in light of tradition, it says exactly that. And that is what I get from her words in light of tradition, not limited to scripture.

Do me and all of us a favor, and don't be quick to defend her in this thread -- for all of us, of whatever Christian walk, she's the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord, who undeniably said the words of the Magnificat. (Whether assumed into Heaven, immaculately conceived, ever virgin, or whatever, at minimum she is what I said.) And it's on that common ground that I'm hoping to find some truths in her words.

I wouldn've and was not trying to, you asked and I answered, I get the IC from her words amoung other things, like Mother of God as well. I was just answering your OP but I was asked the age old question when I did, so I answered it.

 

[Benedicta00]

Are you saying that is what it means to you, or are you saying that is literally what she said means?

I don’t hold to any personal truths the bible teaches us but to the objective truth is teaches, so *my* view is one and the same.

 

[Polycarp1]

But when you do as Catholics do and we can not stop doing, read the scriptures in light of tradition, it says exactly that. And that is what I get from her words in light of tradition, not limited to scripture.



I wouldn've and was not trying to, you asked and I answered, I get the IC from her words amoung other things, like Mother of God as well. I was just answering your OP but I was asked the age old question when I did, so I answered it.

And that is completely fair, and proper for you as a Catholic to do, and I hope you didn't see me saying otherwise. I just wanted to avoid a hijack into the "was Mary immaculately conceived/ever virgin?" argument that usually breaks out, since my intent was to focus directly on her words in Scripture. So I hope you'll forgive any negativity in my response.