"Hail, She who has been filled with grace!"
March 17, 2021
St. Patrick!
Dear Family of Mary!
Day Two of our Novena for the Annunciation of the Lord:
"And he came to her and said, 'Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!'" (Luke 1:28)
When Gabriel first addressed Our Lady, he hailed her with a greeting that is most unique. From the Greek, he said "Hail, Kecharitomene!" This word we are told is only used this one time, and it names Mary! Here is a short discussion of this greeting:
In Luke 1:28, the word that the angel uses is kecharitomene. So it’s not literally “full of grace,” but its root word is the Greek verb “to give grace” (charitoo). The word is the past perfect tense, meaning that the action of giving grace has already occurred. It was not something that was about to happen to her but something that has already been accomplished. The word was also used as a title. The angel did not say, “Hail Mary, you are kecharitomene” but rather, “Hail kecharitomene.” Therefore the word is not simply an action but an identity.
It is thus difficult to translate because it is a unique use of the word. It has been translated by various scholars as “full of grace”, “graced one,” “one who has been made graced,” “highly graced,” and “highly favored.” In the last instance the translator is using the concept that to be graced by God is to find favor with God. It would appear that any translation should use the word “grace,” because that is the root word.
The Angel came with a greeting from God! The Father told him to call her something like "Hail, She who has been filled with grace!" This title is not a description, but actually is Mary! She alone in all creation was to be called this, because she alone was born, Immaculate, by the prevenient grace of her Son's death on the Cross. She alone was preserved from Original Sin. She alone was and is the Woman filled with grace, past, present, and future!
This is our Mother, Mary!!! This is our true mother who loves us and has come to us in Medjugorje to help us on our way to heaven.
Our Lady spoke to Mirjana in these words:
Mirjana: Who are you? "I am the Most Blessed Virgin Mary." (June 6, 1981)
Truly the Most Blessed, because she is "She who was filled with grace" from the beginning!!!
Let us pray:
Annunciation prayer of faith:
Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal Word,
You became Incarnate as man
in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
You, through whom the universe was created,
began your earthly course,
in the womb of a humble and chaste Virgin.
At the annunciation of this miracle,
Mary responded in faith:
"Let it be done to me according to your word."
May we who are made new creatures by your grace,
respond with such faith, when you call us to your service. Amen
(written by David Bennett)
And for St. Joseph:
Dear St. Joseph, foster father of us all, we love you! You so faithfully stayed by the side of Mary when she gave Jesus to the world the first time. Help us now in our turn to stay faithfully by her side in Medjugorje.
Dear St. Joseph, you were always strong and resolute – in Bethlehem, in Egypt, and in Nazareth. You never wavered from the side of Mary. Help us to be strong and resolute and to never waver from her side.
Dear St. Joseph, help us to be faithful to the call of Our Lady and to witness to her presence in these days. St. Joseph, pray for us!!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c)Mary TV 2021
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