The Treasures of Magnificat Magazine

I was browsing before Mass this morning, (lots of ;little articles I had not read in turn, essays that hadn't caught my eye at the time,) and not for the first time, noted how frequently I come across a relfection or even a sentence that strikes me as so perfectly lucid and lucent - and illuminating, and I will read to the end and see that the words were penned by someone named Ratzinger; or how often I happen upon a hymn text, (or translation,)  previously unknown to me that is verbally elegant and theologically rich, and paging to the index in the back of the little Magnificat, I see that it is the work of Kathy Pluth.

The lyric to the Theotokos, (sp?) is quite wonderful.

O Theotokos, Mary blest,

Our human nature’s shining crest,
Through you we have our liberty,
Free children of the light to be.

O Queen of all the virgin choir,

Though David was your kingly sire
Your royal dignity has come
Not from your fathers, but your Son....

Exemplar of virginity,

Give glory to the Trinity,
Whose endless treasure-stores of gifts
Through you our human nature lifts.

Magnificat has been a real blessing to me.

I gave my Mother a subscription, but the frequency with which the periodical chooses an optional memorial made it useless for her, (she wanted, no, needed the exact, no flipping-around-pages readings, proper antiphons and collects that the priest was saying as her hearing was going*,) so she gave it back, and then Himself gave me a four year subscription.

At first I was put out by their approach to what they call Morning and Eventing Prayer, but now that I understand their reasoning, I have nothing but praise for its creator and editors.

And the artwork!
Oh, the artwork....

(*And in retrospect, she didn't need to be constantly faced with the evidence of a beloved pastor's liturgical minimalism, not to say laziness. She knew it - even chided him on it slightly once - and forgave it. I wonder, how much time is saved by omitting a spoken Gloria during the Octave of Christmas?)