‘Hail, Full of Grace’: The Holy Name of Mary
Today in the old Roman Catholic calendar is the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, the beloved mother of Jesus Christ. This follows the celebration of Mary’s birth on Sept. 8 (in the Byzantine calendar, today is the Leave-taking of the Nativity of Mary feast).
Names have power. That is why the Jews were not allowed to speak the name of God (YHWH, or I AM WHO AM) casually or even in most religious rituals. That is why certain Biblical figures received new names or titles (e.g. Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sara, Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul, Mary to “Full of Grace”). So we call upon Mary by name, asking for her help in reaching Heaven (as we ask other Christians on earth for prayers).
The Angel Gabriel addressed Mary (Lk. 1:28) at the Annunciation by saying, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” The word translated here “full of grace” is κεκαριτωμενη (kekaritomene) in the Gospel’s original Greek. This is a form for which there is not an exact equivalent in English, but it essentially means “to have been perfected in the state of grace.”
Unlike for most angelic appearances in the Bible, Gabriel addresses Mary with the utmost respect instead of simply commanding. Jesus performed his first miracle at Cana at Mary’s behest (John 2). Mary herself said in the Magnificat prayer (Lk. 1:48), “Behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”
Mary is our strongest ally in fighting the devil and becoming closer to Christ her Divine Son. Let us call upon the name of Mary, as we strive to be holy Christians in a dark and troubled world.
Ok. Tell me where in the writings of Peter or Paul is Mary even mentioned and given all the credit as redemptrix that you claim? Christ is the sole mediator between God and man. If Mary was so described as you do now, it is clear that the church during the time of the Apostles up through John would have given clear instructions as to how we are to relate to Mary. obviously no information from their writings, and later made up by the Catholic church. Sorry, but it is a false doctrine you push unsupported by Christ's Apostles who delivered the once forever faith to us. Read your bible rather than the created inventions of the roman church AD 500 and on. Christ will reveal it all to you if you are open to him, rather than his earthly mother.
Thank you.