Happy May!!!

I love the month of May for so many reasons as numerous as May flowers: it is the month of honoring Mary, St. Joseph her husband, provider and guardian of the Holy Family, Dagny's birth, St. Joan of Arc, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, the Visitation in which Mary visits her elderly cousin Elizabeth, who is carrying St. John the Baptist in her womb, and who recognizing the Presence of His Savior, leaps for joy. I love this scene so much: 

Elizabeth says, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” 

Mary responds with her Magnificat. My favorite rendition is Palestrina's sung by Voces8: https://youtu.be/j9naa5YvyDU This painting captures the joy so beautifully. If anyone knows who the artist is, please let me know so that I can try to get a copy of it. 

Vulgate

Book of Common Prayer (1662)

Magnificat anima mea Dominum; et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae; Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes. quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius, Et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo; dispersit superbos mente cordis sui; deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles; esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae, sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula. The Gloria Patri is appended to the canticle but is not part of Luke's Gospel. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in Saecula saeculorum. Amen.

My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. The Gloria Patri is appended to the canticle, but is not part of Luke's Gospel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.