The Magnificat

The 'Magnificat' is taken from the account of the Visitation in the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55). Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist at the time, greeted Mary with the well known phrase "Blessed art thou amongst women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus". It has been important in the Liturgy of the Church since the 4th century. Today the Magnificat is said or sung during Vespers every evening, usually 6pm on Sunday evenings at Saint Wulstan's!

Latin	English
MAGNIFICAT * anima mea Dominum, et exultavit spiritus meus * in Deo salvatore meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. * Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,* et sanctum nomen eius, et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies * timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, * dispersit superbos mente cordi sui; deposuit potentes de sede * et exaltavit humiles; esurientes implevit bonis * et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel puerum suum, * recordatus misericordiae, sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, * Abraham et semini eius in saecula.	MY soul doth magnify * the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.* MY soul doth magnify * the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.* He hath showed might is His arm, * He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, * being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, * Abraham and his seed forever.
Our commitment in this life is to abandon our sinful ways, grow closer to God and show his love to our world. As this is a task quite impossible without humility, we should reflect deeply on the first two sentences of this prayer. The closer we get the smaller we become in our own eyes in the light of God's greatness.

Latin

English

MAGNIFICAT * anima mea Dominum, et exultavit spiritus meus * in Deo salvatore meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. *
Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,* et sanctum nomen eius, et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies * timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, * dispersit superbos mente cordi sui; deposuit potentes de sede * et exaltavit humiles; esurientes implevit bonis * et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum, * recordatus misericordiae, sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, * Abraham et semini eius in saecula.

MY soul doth magnify * the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.*
MY soul doth magnify * the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.*
He hath showed might is His arm, * He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich He hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel, His servant, * being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, * Abraham and his seed forever.

Our commitment in this life is to abandon our sinful ways, grow closer to God and show his love to our world. As this is a task quite impossible without humility, we should reflect deeply on the first two sentences of this prayer. The closer we get the smaller we become in our own eyes in the light of God's greatness.