The seven words of Mary recorded in the Gospel

Can we conceive of anyone, among ordinary men, who was better than this one, who deserved to become the Mother of God, who for nine months sheltered God himself in her Heart and in her womb? What treasure is better than this divine love itself, of which the Heart of the Virgin was the ardent furnace?

Just as from a vessel full of a superior and excellent wine can only come out very good wine; or as from a very ardent furnace can only come out a burning fire; so from the Mother of Christ could only come out a word of sovereign and sovereignly divine love and zeal.

It is the fact of a mistress and a wise lady to utter words that are few in number, but solid and full of meaning. Thus, we find in the Gospel, on seven occasions, only seven words, of astonishing wisdom and strength, pronounced by the most blessed Mother of Christ: it is thus mystically shown that she was full of the sevenfold grace. With the Angel, she spoke only two words. With Elizabeth, two more. With her Son, also two, the first time in the Temple, the second time at the Wedding. With the servants at the wedding, only one word. And in all cases, she spoke very little. But she opened up more in praise of God and in thanksgiving when she said, "My soul magnifies the Lord..." There, it is not with man, but with God that she spoke. These seven words she pronounced according to the seven progressions and actions of love, observing an admirable progression and order: these are like seven flames of her burning Heart.

Sermon of Saint Bernardine of Siena 

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