PRAYER OF THE ROSARY: HAIL MARY by Atty. Marwil Llasos

The Annunciation by Simone Martini

The Hail Mary is not a prayer of worship but a recitation of Scripture and asking Mary to pray for us to God. Catholics do not put Mary on equal footing with God. We merely recognize the role the Blessed Virgin played in the history of our salvation as well as in the life of every Christian throughout history. Mary is certainly worthy of reverence or veneration but not worship or adoration which is due to God alone.

The Hail Mary is deeply rooted in Scripture.

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Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Lk. 1:28) – Luke 1:28 literally says “Chaire Kecharitomene.” The angel Gabriel did not mention Mary’s name but substituted it with the title Kecharitomene, meaning “One who is fully, completely, enduringly filled with grace.” The messenger of God addressed Mary with her name in God’s eyes: “Full of Grace.”

The greeting Chaire! is so meaningful. First, it reminds us that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the new Virgin Daughter of Zion as she is greeted with Rejoice! (Zeph. 3:14; Zech. 9:9). It could also mean Hail! This reminds us about Mary’s royal dignity as the Mother of the Lord and the Queen Mother of His Kingdom.

“The Lord is with you” also brings to mind the Messianic prophecy addressed to the daughter of Zion in Zephaniah 3:17 that “the Lord thy God is in the midst of thee” which is literally “the Lord thy God is in your womb.”

Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus (Lk. 1:42) – The praise heaped on Mary by St. Elizabeth under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is startling. Notice that St. Elizabeth praised Mary first before the praised the “fruit of her womb.” It seems that Jesus suffers from no inferiority complex with respect to his mother. Jesus clearly has no problem with his mother Mary. But, why do Protestants have?

Jesus is right in the center of the Hail Mary because “there is no other under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus name is “the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).

Holy Mary – Protestants are reluctant to call Mary “holy.” But, is it not that all Christians are saints? Saint means “holy.” Mary is a Christian, in fact the most eminent Christian, who deserves to be called a “saint” just like anyone of us. Christians are called “holy brethren” (1 Thes. 5:27; Heb. 3:1). Since Mary is a Christian, there can be no doubt that she is holy as well. Indeed, if the apostles of the Lord are called “holy apostles” (Eph. 3:5), why can’t we call His mother “holy” as well?

The angels of God are called “holy angels” (Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26). Since the great angel Gabriel saluted Mary, it means that her holiness and dignity are far greater than the angels. Isn’t it that the Mother of the Lord is the Queen of Angels? The angels ministered to her and to her Son as the infancy narratives tell us.

The heroines of the Old Testament are referred to a “holy women” (1 Pt. 3:5). They were those who trusted in God (1 Pt. 3:5). Who among women could have trusted God more than Mary? Thus, if the OT women are called “holy,” how much more Mary, the most blessed among women? (Lk. 1:28, 42).

Mother of God – St. Elizabeth, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, proclaimed Mary as the Mother of the Lord (Lk. 1:43). Psalm 100:3 tells us “to know that the Lord is God.” Since Catholics know that the Lord is God, to them Mary, the Mother of the Lord is the Mother of God.

Pray for us – The expression “pray for us” appears in Colossians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1 and Hebrews 13:18. We ask our fellow Christians to pray for us.

As part of the communion of saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the great cloud of witnesses we can ask to pray for us (Heb. 12:1). Since Mary is righteous, her prayer is very powerful (James 5:16, NAB).

We see Mary’s intercessory power in the wedding at Cana where Jesus performed His first recorded miracle at the instance of His mother (Jn. 2:1-11). Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8), he continues to listen to His mother’s requests in heaven. Jesus is a very dutiful Son who binds Himself “to honor thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother. Remember that thou hast not been born but through them; and make a return to them as they have done for thee” (Sir. 7:29-30).

Sinners – Like the publican, we acknowledge our sinfulness (Lk. 18:13). We ask Mary to pray for us sinner because we know that just like in the case of Job, God will easily forgive us if a righteous person intercedes and prays for us (Job 42:7-10). We are certain that God listens to Mary’s prayers in our behalf because “the prayer of the just He hears” (Prov. 15:29).

Now and at the hour of our death – The Bible tells is to “pray without ceasing” (1 Tim. 5:17). We also pray to Mary to pray for us without ceasing, now and especially at the hour of our death. To “pray” here simply means to “ask,” “beseech” or “request” (Judges 9:2; 1 Sam. 25:24-25, 28; Acts 8:3).

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The Hail Mary, traditionally known as Ave Maria, is a scriptural prayer. Its first part is taken directly from the inspired words of the Bible (Lk. 1:28, 42).The second part reflects what the inspired words mean to us as praying Christians in the Body of Christ who, like Mary, continue to ponder them in our hearts (Lk. 2:19; 51).