The bull of St Luke

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

Mary's Song of Praise: Lk 1,46-55

Traditionally known as the Magnificat from its opening word in Latin, this song of Mary is of great importance for the Church. It is recited every day as the Gospel canticle for Evening Prayer.

Read through the Magnificat and see how it divides into two parts (stanzas or verses, if you like) which end with the same proclamation. What is the theme of the first part? And then of the second?

What is the opening statement of the canticle in verses 46b-47? Note that verses 48 and 49 have the same opening word (see NRSV). What is the effect of this? Look, for example, at Ps 117.
Consider the effect of leaving out that opening word in verse 49 (as in NABRE).

Looking now at the second part (1,51-55), what three aspects of life are covered?

A look at my response will be helpful now.

The Old Testament

The best way to review the Magnificat is to explore the references to the Old Testament. There are around fifty of them in these few verses which shows how this poem is steeped in biblical tradition, bringing that tradition into this Gospel of Luke and the New Testament as a whole.
Below I have selected those references which seem most helpful. They can mostly speak for themselves.

For the song as a whole, see how Luke has used 1 Sam 2,1-10

For verses 46-47, see the similar Is 61,10 and Habbakuk 2,18. Who is the saviour here?

Verse 48 is taken further by 11,27. See: 1 Sam 1,11; Gen 30,13.

Verse 49: Dt 10,21; Ps 17,17; Ps 111,9; Ps 126,2-3.

Verse 50 brings out a theme which echoes through the psalms. See for example Pss 89,2; 100,5; 103,11.13.17.

Moving on to the second stanza of the hymn, for verse 51, look at Proverbs 3,34; Ps 89,10; 118,15.

Verse 52: 1 Sam 2,7; 2 Sam 22,28; Sirach 10,14; Ps 147,6.

Verse 53: 1 Sam 2,5; Ps 107,9

Verse 54: Ps 98,3; Is 41,8.

Verse 55: Gen 17,7; 18,18; Micah 7,20

We can now continue with the next scene which tells of the first of the two births.