THE FULLNESS OF GRACE
From the encyclical Redemptoris Mater by St John Paul II6
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Immediately after the narration of the Annunciation, the Evangelist Luke
guides us in the footsteps of the Virgin of Nazareth towards “a city of Judah”.
Mary arrived there “in haste”, to visit Elizabeth her kinswoman. The reason for
her visit is also to be found in the fact that at the Annunciation Gabriel had made
special mention of Elizabeth, who in her old age had conceived a son by her
husband Zechariah, through the power of God… The divine messenger had
spoken of what had been accomplished in Elizabeth in order to answer Mary’s
question: “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”. It is to come to pass
precisely through the “Power of the Most High”, just as it happened in the case
of Elizabeth, and even more so.
Moved by charity, therefore, Mary goes to the house of her kinswoman.
When Mary enters, Elizabeth replies to her greeting and feels the child leap in
her womb, and being “filled with the Holy Spirit” she greets Mary with a loud
cry: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
….
While every word of Elizabeth’s greeting is filled with meaning, her final words,
would seem to have fundamental importance: “And blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord”
.
These words can be linked with the title “full of grace” of the angel’s greeting.
Both of these texts reveal an essential Mariological content, namely the truth
about Mary who has become really present in the mystery of Christ precisely
because she “had believed”. The fullness of grace announced by the angel
means the gift of God himself. Mary’s faith, proclaimed by Elizabeth at the
Visitation, indicates how the Virgin of Nazareth responded to this gift…
Indeed, at the Annunciation Mary entrusted herself to God completely,
with the “full submission of intellect and will”, manifesting “the obedience of
faith” to him who spoke to her through his messenger. She responded,
therefore, with all her human and feminine “I”…. By accepting this
announcement, Mary was to become the “Mother of the Lord,” and the divine
mystery of the Incarnation was to be accomplished in her… Mary uttered this
fiat in faith. In faith she entrusted herself to God without reserve and devoted
herself totally as the handmaid of the Lord to the person and work of her son.
And this Son – as the Fathers of the Church teach – she conceived in her
mind before she conceived him in her womb: precisely in faith! Rightly
therefore does Elizabeth praise Mary: “And blessed is she who believed that
there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” These
words have already been fulfilled: Mary of Nazareth presents herself at the
threshold of Elizabeth and Zechariah’s house as the Mother of the Son of God.
This is Elizabeth’s joyful discovery: “The mother of my Lord comes to me”.
6 Published by the United States Catholic Conference, Washington, DC; ’12ff.13