"a gift so great, so unheard of"

James Doyle Penrose

"The Lord has exalted me by a gift so great, so unheard of, that language is useless to describe it, and the depths of love in my heart can scarcely grasp it. I offer then all the powers of my soul in praise and thanksgiving. As I contemplate his greatness, which knows no limits, I joyfully surrender my whole life, my senses, my judgment, for my spirit rejoices in the eternal Godhead of that Jesus, that Savior, whom I have conceived in this world of time."

"Tanto (inquit) me Dominus tamque inaudito munere sublimavit, quod non ullo linguae officio explicari, sed ipso vix intimi pectoris affectu valeat comprehendi, et ideo totas animae vires in agendis gratiarum laudibus offero, totum in contemplanda magnitudine ejus cui non est finis quicquid vivo, sentio, discerno, gratulanter impendo, quia et ejusdem Jesu, id est salutaris, spiritus meus aeterna divinitate laetatur, cujus mea caro temporali conceptione foetatur."

     St. Bede, paraphrasing the opening lines of Mary's Magnificat (Lk 1:46-47), as translated in the Office of readings for 22 December, Liturgy of the hours.  CCSL 120 (1960), .  Latin from the Latin edition of the Complete works ed. J. A. Giles, vol. 10 (1844), 295, which should be checked against CCSL 120 (1960), .