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| Painting: Visitation de la Vierge by Jean Jouvenet, 1716, downloaded from Wikimedia Commons. |
In some Bible translations, the Blessed Virgin Mary exclaims to her kinswoman Elizabeth, "My soul magnifies the Lord!" What might that mean?
A hint, I think, comes from Mary's question to the Archangel Gabriel in the Douay-Rheims translation, "How shall this be done, because I know not man?" Modern translations direct us to its meaning that Mary was a virgin and that she had not engaged in sexual intimacy with a man. This use of the word "knowing" is paralleled in the Old Testament when describing the procreative act—the marital act—such as "Adam knew Eve" in Genesis 4:1.
Such "knowing" need not be sexual intimacy. Indeed, we make the distinction in knowing about a person (e.g. when we have a passing knowledge of a person, meaning that we know he exists and some characteristics but not much more) and a knowing which implies a friendship. In a similar way, a person may know things about God, such as the belief that God is Triune, three persons united in one nature and being, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But knowing about God does not necessarily mean an intimate relationship with God—a friendship with God.
In the Canticle of Zechariah (part of this morning's Gospel at Mass), Zechariah foretells the mission of his son, John the Baptist:
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
The Lord prepares his way by giving them knowledge of their salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. When the Pharisees and Sadducees approach John to be baptized, he asks (Mt 3:7), "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Knowing that we're separated from God—in a state of spiritual death—is a good place to start in repairing our friendship with God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps 111:10). Through prevenient grace, Mary had never lost friendship with God, but she must have realized the terrible brokenness of those around her who had a broken relationship with God. And it's likely that her awareness of the gift she had been given had brought about the feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving.
Turning back to Luke 1:46, in which Mary begins her canticle, "My soul magnifies the Lord," I think it's helpful to see other translations of the verse. NABRE has "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord." NCV has "My soul praises the Lord." NASB has "My soul exalts the Lord." The Message Bible, which follows the philosophy of dynamic equivalence in translating (as opposed to formal equivalence or a more literal translation), has "I’m bursting with God-news." And interestingly, NIV has "My soul glorifies the Lord." Again, I think all of these are helpful.
But how could a soul glorify or magnify the Lord? There is nothing any creature can do to add to God's greatness. Rather, a soul demonstrates God's glory and greatness by allowing God to work within that soul, and thus providing an example of God's work. As is often attributed to St. Irenaeus, "the glory of God is man fully alive" or in context:
For the glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God grew within Mary. She willingly received the Word, and in the Nativity of Jesus Christ, she gave what she received to the whole world. In using the Mother of God, the Theotokos, as a model, we can follow her example. By the power of the Holy Spirit and if we are well disposed, we may receive the Word in the Eucharist, allowing the Word to grow within us. And in participating or cooperating with God's grace within us, we can give this work within an outward expression by our charity, as Mary gave birth to Jesus.
