SPIRITUALITY 101
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 109
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

A bandit convicted of several murders was on death row waiting to be taken to the electric chair. The prison chaplain had done everything he could to induce him to receive the sacraments, but all was in vain. All the man would say was, "Go away, leave me alone." The priest, full of compassion, said a short but fervent prayer to the Blessed Virgin, and then said to the criminal, "I am leaving as you wish, but first I want you to do me a favor." "What is it?" "Let us say a Hail Mary together." They started to pray and at the first words the grace of repentance took hold of that hardened heart. With tears streaming down his face he asked for the sacrament of penance and absolution for his sins, and died in God's peace with the rosary in his hands and Mary's name on his lips.
This is a story that has been repeated many times in the history of Christianity. Mary glorified and in heaven intercedes to her Son for us, to meet all our spiritual needs. The Hail Mary prayer is a way in which we can honor her on earth. This is pleasing to her Son, our Lord Jesus.

DEVOTION - Growth in love- 3rd stage
DEVOTIONALS- MEDITATION-SACRAMENTALS-THE ROSARY-36
HAIL MARY-2

The Prayer
"Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with you
Blessed are thou among women
And Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death."
Amen.

"Full of Grace"
The first title the Angel Gabriel gave to the Virgin Mary of Nazareth was "Full of Grace." This name, like many Hebrew names tells us who she is, and at the same time what she is. As the name for Jesus, "Emmanuel," means "God is with us,", so the name for Mary, "Full of Grace," means that she is with God. St Thomas Aquinas expressed the meaning of this name as a participation in the divine nature of God. It is a precious gift that God gives to the soul, conferring such surpassing beauty on it that, were we able to see it in all its splendor, we should take that soul for God Himself. This grace, however, is not granted to everyone in the same measure. Consequently in the salutation to Mary, "Full of Grace," the angel wished to indicate that she was holy above all creatures, holy above measure, enriched with all the gifts that would render her pleasing to God.

This should not surprise us, as it was just such a state to which God created Adam and Eve, our original parents. They were created without the obstacles of sin that limit us from being fully the image and likeness of God. It is not unexpected that God would give Mary such a gift. If God were to become man, it would seem reasonable that he would create His own mother with the greatest of all human perfections. Mary's perfection is reflected in a second manner in her earthly name "Mary." God had named the first women "Eve," signifying that she was "mother of all the living." He named His own mother "Mary" which means, "Star of the sea." As stated in the reflection No. 108, Mary was protected from sin at her conception in her mother's womb. This great grace that was lost by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden through sin, was awarded to the mother at the time of her conception. As a divine person, Jesus could not assume his earthly life in the presence of sin.

In order that He bring divination to human flesh, it was necessary that the woman from which that flesh was derived was also free from sin. The scripture is clear, "Sin came into the world through one man and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned"(Romans 6:12). In order to correct this sin, Mary was conceived in her mother's womb without sin in order to become a sinless channel through which divinity could be born into flesh. It is clear that her protection was a result of the Crucifixion, death and resurrection of her Son Jesus. This retroactive characteristic of grace is the grace that allowed the empowerment of Abraham to be "righteous," and Moses to be "obedient." All the patriarchs preceding Mary were graced by the eternal effect of the death and resurrection of Jesus, that reached back to the Eden garden, touching the lives of all mankind through all time. The teaching of the "Immaculate Conception of Mary" is central to our understanding that Jesus was fully human, and experienced everything in life that we experience except sin (2 Cor 5:21 and 1 John 3:5). Recognizing Mary as the pure channel for the birth of Our Lord Jesus, the Angel names her, "Full of Grace."

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that "full of Grace," has three possible meanings that are important to us. It could mean that Mary was exempt from all sin. This is reasonable for she was the Mother of God, and it is clear that the glory of her child reflected this honor of privilege on his parent. It could mean that Mary was gifted with extraordinary virtues. We see through her humility and obedience from the very beginning of Luke's Gospel, that this is the case. Without understanding, without reservation, and without concern for herself, she expresses her fiat, "If it is your will, let it be done!" Her name could also refer to the excellence of Mary's own good works. It is clear that her service to God and person was extraordinary in all respects. This was possible for her, only through an obedience that was based on prayer and sacrifice.
The lesson for us as we pray in meditation these words of The Hail Mary, is to recall her obedience to the will of God. This is a model of our obedience to His commandment to "love others as He loves them." It is only through grace that we can overcome sin and live a life of obedience to Gods will. Only in living this life in prayer and sacrifice, can we be "Full of Grace," as was Mary.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM
ARTICLE NO. 1085

In the liturgy of the Church, it is principally his own Paschal mystery that Christ signifies and makes present. During his earthly life Jesus announced his Paschal mystery by his teaching and anticipated it by his actions. When his Hour comes, he lives out the unique event of history which does not pass away; Jesus dies, is buried, rises from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father "once for all." (Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12; cf Jn 13:1; 17:1) His Paschal mystery is a real event that occurred in our history, but it is unique: all other historical events happened once and then they pass away, swallowed up in the past. The Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast, cannot remain only in the past, because by his death he destroyed death, and all that Christ is -- all that he did and suffered for all men -- participates in the divine eternity, and so transcends all time while being made present in them all. The event of the Cross and Resurrection abides and draws everything toward life ...from the time of the Church of the Apostles...

PASCHAL CELEBRATION
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

The Paschal mystery of our Lord
Fore-spoken in life, deed and word
A singular event in history of time
Occurs within eternal clime

His Eternal act does not pass away
Is celebrated each passing day
Jesus died, was buried and rose
Continues until time does close

Thus His suffering for all men
Is celebrated until time does end
Made present to us to celebrate
Each of our souls to consecrate

Death of death evokes exultation
Gift enduring all creation
Through His Cross and Resurrection
He enters time as sins correction

In memorial sign He gives new life
Elevates us in our daily strife
Gives glory beyond our comprehension
Offers reprieve of every earthly dissension

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS