The Fiat of the Soul: Mary’s Joyful Submission

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The Magnificat, found in Luke 1:46-56, serves as a profound testament to the Blessed Virgin Mary’s radical obedience to God’s will. Unlike a begrudging or passive compliance, Mary’s obedience is expressed through a "holy "yes"—a total gift of self that begins with her fiat and erupts into a song of praise. By declaring that her soul "proclaims the greatness of the Lord," Mary reveals that true obedience is rooted in humility and a correct understanding of our relationship with the Creator. She does not see God’s plan as an interruption to her life, but as the fulfillment of her very existence. For Catholics, this passage highlights that to obey God is not to lose one's freedom, but to find it in the "lowliness" of being His servant, allowing His grace to do "great things" through us.


In the second movement of her canticle, Mary connects her personal obedience to the salvation history of the entire People of God. She recognizes that her submission to the Incarnation is the catalyst for God’s mercy "from age to age" and the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham. Mary’s obedience is active and missionary; immediately following her consent to the Angel Gabriel, she travels "with haste" to serve her cousin Elizabeth. Her life teaches us that obedience to the Word of God necessarily leads to the service of others and the upheaval of worldly pride. By modeling a heart that is completely open to the Divine Will, Mary becomes the "New Eve," whose faithful adherence to God’s plan unties the knots of disobedience and invites the Savior into the world.

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