The Hail Mary Prayer
The Hail Mary prayer is one of the formal Catholic Prayers.
The first part of the prayer is scriptural - The Annunciation !
The Angel from God appeared to Mary a young girl in Nazareth, and announced, that she was chosen to be the Mother of God.
According to the Gospel of Luke chapter 1, verses 28, 30-31, the angel greeted Mary saying,
"Hail, O favoured one, the Lord is with you'.
Mary was afraid, but the Angel continued,
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus".
The Angel spoke to Mary about Jesus, and in addition, gave her another message.
The Angel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth, who was called barren, had now conceived in her old age.
Mary hurries to see Elizabeth, and when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb". (Gospel of Luke chapter 1, verses 42).
Now you would know the scriptural words from which the first part of the Hail Mary prayer comes from.
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus”.
The second part of the Hail Mary prayer is where, we, the children of God, ask Mary to intercede on behalf of us.
"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen".
The Hail Mary is a part of the Rosary Prayer. The Hail Mary is recited on each of the ten beads of a decade on the rosary.
When Mary Mother of Jesus, appeared to the three little children in Fatima, Mary taught the children, how to say the prayers of the Rosary – the Hail Mary prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, The Glory Be and meditate on the mysteries of the life of Jesus.
Catholics believe that praying the Hail Mary with great faith and love, asking Jesus’ mother to intercede on behalf of us, that she would ask for us great blessings and protection from danger.
I remember, when I was a young girl, my mother would teach me to pray three ‘Hail Marys’, when in moral danger or when in temptation. This prayer would always keep me away from falling into bad company or being pressured by peers into doing something morally wrong. Thanks to Mary, my heavenly mother she was there to protect me.
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