The greeting of the angel Gabriel opens this prayer. It is God himself who, through his angel, greets Mary. The grace with which Mary is filled is the presence of him who is the source of all grace.
Mary is Mother of God and our mother. We can entrust our cares and petitions to her. She prays for us as she prayed for herself: "Let it be done to me according to your word."
By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her. Our trust broadens further to surrender "the hour of our death" wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her Son's death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2676-2677
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Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. |
Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen. |
