Living The Gospel this week: The Hail Mary Prayer (Luke 1:28, 42)
On this third Sunday of advent, I suggest a little reflection on the “Hail Mary Prayer”. This little and simple prayer used by us Catholics is very powerful. It draws us closer to Jesus as we acknowledge the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the history of salvation. This prayer is rooted in the bible and is divided in two parts. The first part comes from the words of the Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:28) and Mary’s Cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:42). The second part is a request, asking Mary to pray for us, especially at the moment of our death.
Mary is always ready to help us as she did at Cana (John 2:5) by praying for us, just like a good mother would. By saying the Hail Mary, you are not worshiping Mary, but you only ask for her prayers and her assistance. Mary is a humble servant of God, who tells us: “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
Let us always remember that: “the Hail Mary is the most beautiful prayer after Our Father and the most beautiful compliment to Mary”, St. Louis Grignion de Montfort. He “also believed that devotion to Mary is the most perfect devotion because Mary is the most conformed to Jesus Christ”.
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC