Canopy, to convince all that it was the head of Holofernes. (Menochius) — Body, on the ground; (chap. xiv. 14.) perhaps to cut off the head more easily, (Calmet) and that it might appear more ghastly (Haydock) at the first entrance. (Tirinus)

While, having composed herself, (Haydock) and done every thing necessary to prevent detection. (Menochius)

Open. Greek repeats, “open ye now the gate; God, our God is with us, still to shew power in Israel, and strength against the enemies, as he hath done to-day.” (Haydock)

That. Greek, “they hastened to descend to the gate of their city, and called,” &c.

Had now. Greek, “it was a paradox to them that she should come, and they opened the gate, and received them.”

And she. Greek, “said to them with a loud voice: Praise God, praise, yea praise God, because he hath not withdrawn his mercy from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our enemies by my hand this night.” (Haydock)

Drunkenness. “The fasting of one woman overthrew an innumerable host of drunkards. (St. Ambrose, de jej. ix.) (Worthington)

And abiding. Greek, “for my face has deluded him to his ruin, and he has not committed sin with me, for defilement and shame. And all the people were much amazed; and bowing down, they adored the Lord, and said, with one accord: Our God, thou art blessed, because this day thou hast brought the enemies of thy people to nought.” (Haydock) — Judith’s guardian angel defended her; as Jacob’s did him, Genesis xlviii. (Worthington)

Prince, in that town, though Manasses was king. (Menochius) — Greek, “Ozias said.”

Praise. Greek, “hope.” — For that. Greek, “and may God make these things turn to thy eternal exaltation, to regard thee for good; because thou hast not.” — Ruin. Greek adds, “walking aright in,” &c. (Haydock)

(vid. etiam Tit. Bos.) He was not filled with the Spirit, until she stood near him who bore Christ in her womb. Then indeed he was both filled with the Spirit, and leaping imparted the grace to his mother; as it follows, And Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. But we cannot doubt that she who was then filled with the Holy Spirit, was filled because of her son.

For Jesus who was in her womb hastened to sanctify John, still in the womb of his mother. Whence it follows, with haste.

(non occ. vide Theoph. et. Tit. Bost.) Now in saying this, she coincides with her son. For John also felt that he was unworthy of our Lord’s coming to him. But she gives the name of “the mother of our Lord” to one still a virgin, thus forestalling the event by the words of prophecy. Divine foreknowledge brought Mary to Elisabeth, that the testimony of John might reach the Lord. For from that time Christ ordained John to be a prophet. Hence it follows, For, to, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded, &c.

Now if the Lord could neither receive increase or decrease, what is this that Mary speaks of, My soul doth magnify (magnificat) the Lord? But if I consider that the Lord our Saviour is the image of the invisible God, and that the soul is created according to His image, so as to be an image of an image, then I shall see plainly, that as after the manner of those who are accustomed to paint images, each one of us forming his soul after the image of Christ, makes it great or little, base or noble, after the likeness of the original; so when I have made my soul great in thought, word, and deed, the image of God is made great, and the Lord Himself, whose image it is, is magnified in my soul.

But the soul first magnifies the Lord, that it may afterwards rejoice in God; for unless we have first believed, we can not rejoice.

But why was she lowly and cast down, who carried in her womb the Son of God? Consider that lowliness, which in the Scriptures is particularly praised as one of the virtues, is called by the philosophers “modestia.” And we also may paraphrase it, that state of mind in which a man instead of being puffed up, casts himself down.

For the mercy of God is not upon one generation, but extends to eternity from generation to generation.