Hail Mary: Kecharitomene, A Unique Word for a Unique Lady

3/13/2013

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Christ.

Medieval theologians described it this way. They saw Mary's "fullness of grace" (plenitudo gratiae) as something between the "fullness of grace" that was unique to Christ (cf. John 1:4) and the "fullness of grace" that might be found in the Holy Angels and the Saints (cf. Acts 6:8). This special and unique condition of Mary was described as plenitudo summae abundantiae (a plenary fullness of abundance of grace) or a plenitudo redundantiae (plenary redoundingness of grace).

This unique condition expounded and developed by the Medieval theologians in their cumbruous is precise Latin phrases is implied in the unique germ of a Greek word kecharitomene.

Clearly, the Golden-and-Greek-tongued Father of the Church, St. John Chrysostom understood the word Kecharitomene to be nominal, titular, official, personal to Mary. And he is our sure guide. How else can we explain this virtual explosion of praise to Mary--not in the name of Mary-but in her other God-given name--Kecharitomene--in one of his Christmas Day sermons?

Hail, Kecharitomene, unreaped land of heavenly grain.
Hail, Kecharitomene, virgin mother, true and unfailing vine.
Hail, Kecharitomene, faultless one carrying the immutable divinity.
Hail, Kecharitomene, spacious room for the uncontainable nature.
Hail, Kecharitomene, new bride of a widowed world and incorrupt offspring.
Hail, Kecharitomene, weaving as creature a crown not made by hands.
Hail, Kecharitomene, habitation of holy fire.
Hail, Kecharitomene, return of the fugitive world.
Hail, Kecharitomene, lavish nourisher for the hungry creation.
Hail, Kecharitomene, interminable grace of the holy virgin.
Hail, Kecharitomene, lampstand adorned with all virtue and with inextinguishable
light brighter than even the sun.
Hail, Kecharitomene, challenger of spirits.
Hail, Kecharitomene, wise bearer of spiritual glory.
Hail, Kecharitomene, golden urn, contaning heavenly manna.
Hail, Kecharitomene, dispensing sweet drink ever flowing to fill those who are thirsty.
Hail, Kecharitomene, spiritual sea who holds Christ, the heavenly pearl.
Hail, Kecharitomene, splendor of heaven, having the one uncontained by the heavens in herself,
God confined and unconfined.
Hail, Kecharitomene, pillar of cloud containing God, and guiding Israel in the wilderness."

"What should I say, and what should I speak?" Chrysostom breathlessly asks, asking perhaps the same question as the holy Archangel Gabriel before he spoke to Mary. "How should I bless the root of all glory?" Chrysostom continues and explains the source of his troubles. His quandary comes from the unique circumstance before him, "because, with the exception of God alone, she is superior to all."

So, when you pray the Hail Mary, and when you utter the words "Hail Mary full of grace," never, never, never let that marvelous mustard seed of a word kecharitomene and all its implications be far away from your mind.

-----

Andrew M. Greenwell is an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas, practicing in Corpus Christi, Texas. He is married with three children. He maintains a blog entirely devoted to the natural law called Lex Christianorum. You can contact Andrew at agreenwell@harris-greenwell.com.
- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Mary, Marian, mother of God, rosary, marian devotion, Annunciation, Andrew M. Greenwell, Esq.

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AnthonyScriptural Exegesis The New Testament Origen Now since the Angel Saluted her in New Langua
3 months ago
Scriptural Exegesis

The New Testament

Origen

Now since the Angel Saluted her in New Language, such as I have not been able to find elsewhere in Scripture, some few words must be said on this. For in saying:- Hail Full of Grace
There is what I Nowhere else remember to have read in the Scriptures. For to no One else in speech such as this addressed, “Hail Full of Grace” For Mary alone is this Salutation reserved. For if Mary had Known to anyone else a like address had been made....Since she had knowledge of the Law, was Holy, and knew the Predictions of the Prophets from daily meditation...The Salutation would never have caused her to fear, as being strange.

Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus

“Addresses Mary with the Salutation “Hail Full of Grace” That I may show compassion for Eve in her deprivation. Appropriately therefore, did the Angel say to the Holy Virgin Mary first of all: “Hail Full of Grace” inasmuch as with her was laid up, The Full Treasure of Grace.

Nor is it only the Beauty of this Holy One in Body that calls forth our Admiration, but also the innate Beauty of her Soul.....”Hail Thou That art Gifted with Grace”

Come then, beloved Brethren, Let Us to take up The Angelic strain and to the utmost of our Power return the due meed of Praise saying:

“HAIL”, THOU THAT ART “FULL OF GRACE”

“Hail Thou that art Full of Grace” The fountain of that Light which enlightens all who Believe in Him, Hail, Thou that art Full of Grace, The rising of the rational Sun, And the undefiled Flower of Life ! “Hail Full of Grace” The Mead of Sweet Savor “Hail Full of Grace”
The Ever-Blooming Vine, That makes glad the Souls of those who Honor Thee !

“Hail Full of Grace”

Saint Ambrose

And the Angel being come In, said:

“Hail” “Full of Grace” “The Lord is With Thee,” “Blessed art Thou Among Women”

“She taught with herself what manner of Salutation this might be and this with reverent Modesty, because she feared; with Prudence, because she marveled at the New Style of Benediction, such as Nowhere else is read of, Nowhere before found, For Mary alone was this Salutation reserved, Well is she alone called “Full of Grace” since she alone obtained the Grace, which no other Woman had merited, to be filled with the Author of Grace”

Saint Jerome

What and how great is the Blessed and Glorious Ever - Virgin Mary, is set forth from Heaven by the Angel who said:

“Hail” “Full of Grace”, “The Lord is with Thee”, Blessed art Thou among Women”

For with such Privileges it was Befitting the Virgin should be Dowered, that she would be
“Full of Grace”
Who gave Glory to Heaven, The Lord to Earth, through whom also came our Peace, The Faith to the Nations, an end to vices, Order to Life, Discipline to Morals.

Saint Peter Chrysologus

Let us now hear what the Angel did. Entering in to Her, He says:

“Hail” “Full of Grace” “The Lord is with Thee” “Blessed art Thou among Women”

In these Words there is an offering of Gift, Not simply a Salutation “Ave” “Hail” That is receive Grace, be not afraid; Be not solicitous about Nature. “Full of Grace” because in others is Grace; But in Thee shall come all at once, The Whole Fullness of Grace.
“The Lord Is With Thee”
What is it, The Lord in Thee ? It is that he comes to Thee, not with the intention of merely visiting Thee, but he makes his descent in Thee by a New Mystery of being Born in Thee.
Fitly did he add: Blessed art Thou among Women Because, wherein Eve inflicted punishment on her accursed Bowels, Therein Mary now Joys, is Honored and accounted Blessed. And truly is she now made Mother of the Living by Grace.

Saint Eleutherius Tornacensis

And the Angel being come in, said to Her:

“Hail” “Full of Grace” “The Lord is with Thee” Blessed art Thou among Women”

O Angelic Voice full of Sweetness and Joy for saying: “Hail Full of Grace” He presented to the Virgin a Heavenly Salutation. Whilst in saying: “Full of Grace” he showed that the sentence by which our First Parents became a far from God, was excluded, and the Grace of Benediction from on High restored, Whereby made free from slavery, they were brought again into Paradise. And when he uttered the words: “Blessed art Thou among Women” not only did he Pronounce......... “Blessed art Thou among Women”
but that of all those also, who following the Virgin Mary should preserve in Virginity.

Saint Augustine

Truly “Full of Grace” ! For thus she was Saluted by the Angel, “Ave” “Gratia Plena”,
Who can explain this Grace ? Who is sufficient to render thanks for this Grace ?
Andrew M. Greenwell
3 months ago
I received this email from Jonathan Arrington, and thought it was important to share with the readers of Catholic online. I have his permission to publish it.

Dear Mr. Greenwell,

Hello, my name is Jonathan Arrington and I am Doctoral student in Patristic Theology at the Pontifical Patristics Institute in Rome, the Augustinianum. I thoroughly enjoyed your article on the Blessed Virgin: just a few caveats, though.

1) as even the "Great Scott" has cf. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=xaritow&la=greek#lexicon the perfect passive particle is extant, to the extent that we can verify, in Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 18:17 and in Aristeas, though the evidence there is fragmentary. Thus, the term is not a hapax in classical or biblical greek.

2) I'm sure article length was a concern, but it may have been wise to explain Erasmus' motives for the change to "gratiosa" (cf. the Latin version of Sirach 18:17 wherein "gratiosus" is found): that is, Erasmus had this "Ciceronian" tendency to render Latin terminology as "classical" as possible - obviously, a circumlocution like gratia plena was not the concise Latinity that he was aiming for.

I agree substantially with your thesis, i.e., that the analogy of Faith must guide our interpretation of Scripture, even of the individual words therein; however, I would tend to think that the interpretation of a "literalist" such as St. John Chrysostom should suffice to silence those who would doubt the Scriptural and Traditional foundations for the Magisterial pronouncement of Bl. Pius IX. Otherwise, we risk stretching, if you will, the "doma agathon" (cf. Sirach, ibid.) that we have in Sacred Scripture and actually weakening the necessity for Sacred Tradition's hermeneutic of Scriptural texts.

Your blog is splendid! especially the latest post on the optimism of Gaudium et Spes, Rowland's comments, and your supplement of the lecture Maritainienne with his later work. Brilliant!

From Rome, praying pro eligendo Summo Pontifice,

Jonathan Paul Arrington
Sonja Corbitt
3 months ago
This is AWESOME Andrew!
Anthony Coffey
3 months ago
“The Immaculate Conception”

Can I compare Thee to a dream,
a dream Heaven sent of neutral bliss
shining white hot with Love to give sweet.
Can I compare Thee to a rose,
that wilts before thy Beauty
rather than be shamed,
or will I compare Thee
to my Heart, that lives
to please Thee,
with each beat,
no my Love,
my precious sweet,
I
cannot
compare
Thee
at all.

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