Reflection: Hail Mary...

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art 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.

The Hail Mary is a powerful prayer. When we pray it, we greet Mary as she was greeted by the Angel Gabriel. Do you know Mary as your Mother? She is always near, especially when you call upon her. She listens to your prayers and brings them to Jesus, her Beloved Son. As you pray the Hail Mary, imagine she is standing beside you and she has enfolded you under her protective mantle. She is gentle and loving yet she is also strong and a powerful intercessor. Consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary. Pray the Rosary every day. Jesus gave her to us as our Mother because He knew we would need her. Ask Mary to guide you to Jesus in all the moments of your life.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. 
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

The Hail Mary
by Victor Hoagland, C.P.

In heaven God said, "One day I will send my Son to help all people and show them how to live. And I choose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, my Son. So God sent his angel Gabriel to Mary and the angel said:
Hail Mary,
The angel Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth, in Galilee. The angel said to Mary that God loved her. She was
full of grace,
The angel Gabriel told Mary that God, who was in heaven so far away, had come to be close to her. She was to be the mother of Jesus. The angel said,
the Lord is with you.
After the angel left her, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth. her cousin knew how good God was to Mary. Elizabeth said,
Blessed are you among women
Mary's cousin Elizabeth knew that Mary was going to be the Mother of Jesus Christ. Elizabeth said,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
We pray to Mary because she is so close to God, and because she is so close to her Son, Jesus Christ. And so we say,
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners
Like a good mother, Mary always hears us when we call to her. She hears us now, at this very moment; and when we come to the last moment of our life. And so we pray,
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.



Hail Mary, Holy Mary, Mother of Mercy, we entrust all these little ones and their families to you.