Kenneth Craycraft on the Magnificat as the Perfect Advent Prayer

"Anyone who says evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours regularly recites the Magnificat from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Named for its first word in Latin, this canticle is one of only four places in the Gospels where the Blessed Virgin's words are recorded. And the Magnificat contains more words than the other three passages combined. The rarity and brevity of Mary's words, however, should not diminish their importance. Indeed, the Magnificat is among the most theologically powerful speeches in the entirety of the New Testament. Given its place in the narrative of the birth of Our Lord, the commencement of Advent is the perfect time for meditating on Our Lady's words."

In a recent commentary, Kenneth Craycraft, Ph.D., J.D. (Associate Professor of Moral Theology, Mount St. Mary's Seminary and School of Theology, Cincinnati, OH), reflected on some of the reasons why the Magnificat is the perfect prayer in Advent.

To access Dr. Craycraft's complete column, please visit:

The Pilot: Echoes: Kenneth Craycraft: Why the Magnificat is the perfect prayer in Advent (15 DEC 23)