A meditation on the Hail Mary, Mary: Day 289

Last updated on: May 5, 2016 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

A meditation on the Hail Mary, Mary: Day 289 2016-04-28T11:19:23-05:00 Pete Socks

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A meditation on the Hail Mary

St. Alphonsus reflects on the words of this famous prayer, pondering the mean- ing of each phrase.

Immaculate and holy Virgin! Before you, who are so humble, though endowed with such precious gifts, I’m ashamed to appear—I who am so proud in the midst of so many sins. But miserable as I am, I too will salute you.

“Hail, Mary, full of grace.” You are already full of grace; impart a portion of it to me.

“The Lord is with you.” The same Lord who was always with you from the first moment of your creation, has now united himself more closely to you by becoming your Son.

“Blessed are you among women.” Lady, blessed among all women, obtain God’s blessing for us also.

“And blessed is the fruit of your womb.’’ Blessed tree, which has given to the world so noble and holy a fruit!

“Holy Mary, Mother of God!” Mary, I acknowledge that you are the true Mother of God, and in defense of this truth I’m ready to give my life a thousand times.

“Pray for us sinners.” But if you are the Mother of God, you are also the mother of our salvation, and of us poor sinners. For God became man to save sinners, and he made you his mother, so that your prayers might have power to save any sinner.

Hurry, then, Mary, to pray for us, “now, and at the hour of our death.” Pray always: Pray now, while we live amid so many temptations and dangers of losing God. But still more, pray for us at the hour of our death, when we’re on the point of leaving this world to be presented before God’s tribunal.

—St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

We may have prayed the Hail Mary since early childhood. But have we ever stopped to reflect carefully on each phrase, as St. Alphonsus has done, and what it means for us personally?

CLOSING PRAYER

From a prayer of St. Alphonsus: Pray for us, Mary, so that being saved by the merits of Jesus Christ and by your intercession, we may come one day, without further danger of being lost, to salute you and praise you with your Son in heaven for all eternity.

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