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U2 Singer Bono's Ode to Mary

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Tuesday, June 30, 2009 2:59 PM Comments (0)

In a recent Rolling Stone magazine interview with Brian Hiatt, U2’s Bono says that the song “Magnificent” is inspired by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“All music for me is worship of one kind or another,” says Bono.

The song appears on the band’s new album, “No Line on the Horizon.”

“Magnificent was inspired by the Magnificat, a passage from the Gospel of Luke in the voice of the Virgin Mary that was previously set to music by Bach,” says Bono. “There’s this theme running through the album of surrender and devotion and all the things I find really difficult.” 

The lyrics include: “Magnificent, Magnificent, I was born, I was born to be with you in this space and time. I was born, I was born to sing for you. I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up and sing whatever song you wanted me to. I give you back my voice. From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise ... Only love, only love can leave such a mark, but only love, only love can heal such a scar.”

Recorded in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1: 41-45), the Magnificat (Latin for “magnifies”), also known as the Canticle of Mary, is the Blessed Virgin Mary’s joyful prayer in response to her cousin Elizabeth’s greeting.
 

Filed under blessed virgin mary, bono, magnificat, mary, u2

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About Tim Drake

Tim Drake
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Tim Drake is an award-winning journalist and author. He serves as senior writer with the National Catholic Register. His articles have appeared in publications such as Faith and Family magazine, Our Sunday Visitor, Catholic World Report, Catholic Exchange.com, Columbia Magazine, Gilbert! Magazine, This Rock Magazine, and many others. Tim has been a guest on both television and radio. He has appeared on FOX News, Vatican Radio, and EWTN. He is a frequent guest on Sirius XM Satellite Radio's The Catholic Channel. He co-hosts the weekly radio program "Register Radio" on EWTN, airing Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. Eastern. Tim has published six books - his most recent being the coffee-table book, Behind Bella: The Amazing Stories of Bella and the Lives it's Changed, (Ignatius Press, 2008) - and has contributed to several others.

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