A protestant friend of mine years ago commented that he really liked the Magnificat, and that he had his children all memorize it when they were about 5 years old. Many non-catholics appreciate these words of Mary at the time of the visitation with Elizabeth. I recall once, as a protestant, spending a good deal of time studying the Magnificat. The purpose was to find similar themes in Old Testament books (at least those that were not removed by the protestants!), especially the prophets. There are a few similar references, but actually not many. At the time, it appeared to me the inspired words of Mother Mary were largely unique. Then I became Catholic and everything changed. I started actually reading the rest of the Bible (which protestants had exiled a couple centuries ago). What did I find in those new (to me!) books? I found almost the exact same words as the Magnificat. These were much closer in wording than the general references I came across in other Old Testament books. Yes, the words of the Magnificat were perfectly inspired by the Holy Ghost, but Mary was not merely uttering these words mechanically. She was a willing handmaiden of the Lord who was drawing on her previous knowledge. Every word of the Magnificat was scriptural even before the Blessed Virgin first said them! In other words, it is pretty evident that Mary had already read books like, Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, and Baruch. And, I do not mean she merely had seen them at one time; she read them enough where the Holy Ghost was able to bring those passages to mind when her soul "magnified the Lord". Quite an interesting situation; Mary read the very books of the Old Testament that protestants today refuse to read. They may read them merely in passing, but they refuse to consider them worthy of inclusion in Scripture. It is as though God is saying, "you may not want to read the original, but Mary the Mother of all the faithful read it and included it in the gospel so you still get a piece of it." O, the wonders of the mercies of God!