Luke 1:47 (WEB)
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Luke 1:47 (KJV)
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Key words
- τῷ θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μουtō theō tō sōtēri mou · Greek
- 'God my Saviour' — Mary calls God her Saviour; the Immaculate Conception is a saving act.
Why it matters
Mary rejoices in 'God my Saviour' — the most common objection to her sinlessness, since one who needs a Saviour must have sinned. Pitre answers with Pius IX's definition (p 40): Mary was preserved from sin 'by a singular grace' and 'in view of the merits of Jesus Christ.' She is saved by Christ like everyone else, but in advance, by prevention rather than cure; that is why she of all people can call God her Saviour.
Catechism · 5
The First Commandment
“To adore God is to praise and exalt him and to humble oneself, as Mary did in the Magnificat, confessing with gratitude that he has done great things and holy is his name.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 1:46-49.
In the Fullness of Time
“That is why the Canticle of Mary,” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 1:46-55.
The Way of Prayer
“In countless hymns and antiphons expressing this prayer, two movements usually alternate with one another: the first "magnifies" the Lord for the "great things" he did for his lowly servant and through her for all human beings” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 1:46-55.
"I Believe in the Holy Spirit"
Against all human hope, God promises descendants to Abraham, as the fruit of faith and of the power of the Holy Spirit. In Abraham's progeny all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
“It is the thanksgiving of the whole People of God, and thus of the Church, which Mary in her canticle” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 1:46-55.
Fathers and councils · 8
Irenaeus of Lyons
“For He hath taken up His child Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spake to our fathers, Abraham, and his seed for ever.”” — editor's note: Luke i. 46, 47.
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Augustine of Hippo
“…Him, recognized Him; that Zacharias, being filled with the Holy Ghost, said many things; that Mary herself received the Holy Ghost to conceive the Lord.” — editor's note: Luke i. 35–79.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- Basil the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
The first-fruit of the Spirit is peace and joy. Because then the holy Virgin had drunk in all the graces of the Spirit, she rightly adds, And my spirit hath leaped for joy. (exultavit.) She means the same thing, soul…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
Because the spirit of the Virgin rejoices in the eternal Godhead of the same Jesus. (i. e. the Saviour,) whose flesh is formed in the womb by a temporal conception.
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
The soul of Mary therefore magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God, because with soul and spirit devoted to the Father and the Son, she worships with a pious affection the one God from whom are all things.…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Luke
But the soul first magnifies the Lord, that it may afterwards rejoice in God; for unless we have first believed, we can not rejoice.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Luke
But he magnifies God who worthily follows Christ, and now that he is called Christian, lessens not the glory of Christ by acting unworthily, but does great and heavenly things; and then the Spirit (that is, the…
Read the whole comment - Basil the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But if at any time light shall have crept into his heart, and loving God and despising bodily things he shall have gained the perfect standing of the just, without any difficulty shall he obtain joy in the Lord.
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Cross-references · 2
Cited together in Catechism §722.
Cited together in Catechism §722.