The Blessed Virgin Mary: The Most Honoured Woman in Heaven and Earth – Why Did God's Angel Greet Her as “Full of Grace”?
Introduction: A Woman Uniquely Honoured by Almighty God
Among all human beings ever created by Almighty God, there is one Woman who occupies an absolutely unique and extraordinary position in the divine plan of salvation. She is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God Incarnate and the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
Her greatness does not originate from worldly power, wealth, royal ancestry or human achievements. She was a humble young woman from Nazareth, unknown to the powerful people of the world. Yet, She was known, chosen, loved and extraordinarily honoured by Almighty God Himself.
She was chosen for the greatest privilege ever bestowed upon a human creature: to become the Mother of the Son of God, who took human flesh for the salvation of mankind.
No prophet, patriarch, king, apostle or other human being was ever given this unique privilege.
The extraordinary greeting of the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation reveals something of the greatness of Her divine election:
"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28)
Notice that the angel did not begin by addressing Her according to Her family background, social position or worldly status. Instead, he addressed Her with the extraordinary title, "Full of Grace."
This was no ordinary greeting. It introduced one of the greatest mysteries in the history of salvation: the Incarnation of the Eternal Word of God, Who is the Origin of Grace.
The Church has always recognised that the Blessed Virgin Mary occupies a singular place among all creatures, exalted by God's grace above all angels and saints.
1. Why Is the Blessed Virgin Mary So Precious to Almighty God?
What made this humble Woman so extraordinarily beloved by God?
Her extraordinary holiness, purity, humility, faithfulness and perfect obedience to God's will are central to understanding Her unique place in His divine plan. This gave her the privilege of being selected to become the Mother of Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider these virtues:
1. Immaculate Purity
The Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin from the very first moment of Her conception by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in anticipation of the merits of Lord Jesus Christ.
She was full of grace and completely devoted to God. Her entire life was a beautiful example of holiness and purity.
2. Extraordinary Humility
Although She received the greatest privilege ever granted to a human woman, She never became proud or arrogant.
Her response to the angel demonstrates Her humility:
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)
She did not demand recognition, fame or authority. She surrendered Herself completely to God's will.
3. Perfect Obedience
Where the first woman, Eve, disobeyed God, the Blessed Virgin Mary responded with complete obedience.
Through Her humble YES, She cooperated with God's plan of salvation.
The Church has traditionally recognised Her as the New Eve, whose obedience stands in contrast to the disobedience of the first Eve.
4. Unwavering Faith
Even when She could not understand everything that was happening, She trusted Almighty God.
At the Annunciation, during the flight into Egypt, throughout the hidden years of Lord Jesus Christ, at Cana and finally beneath the Cross, Her faith remained steadfast.
5. Perfect Love and Charity
Her visit to Elizabeth, Her concern for the wedding couple at Cana and Her perseverance in prayer with the Apostles demonstrate Her extraordinary charity and concern for others.
These virtues make Her an incomparable example for every Christian.
She is not a rival to Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, Her entire greatness comes from Him and points towards Him. All Her privileges are gifts of Divine grace.
2. The Extraordinary Greeting: Why Was Mary Addressed as "Full of Grace"?
Let us examine one of the most remarkable passages in the Holy Bible.
Luke 1:26–28 records that Almighty God sent the Archangel Gabriel to Nazareth to announce the coming birth of Lord Jesus Christ.
The angel entered the presence of the young Virgin Mary and greeted Her:
"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28)
The original Greek expression, Kecharitomene, is particularly significant.
It describes Mary as one who has been endowed with grace and remains in that state of divine favour.
The angel's greeting was so extraordinary that Mary was greatly troubled and wondered what such a greeting could mean (Luke 1:29).
Think about this!
Throughout the Old Testament, we read about Almighty God communicating with His chosen people, appearing to patriarchs, speaking to prophets and sending His angels to kings, judges and ordinary individuals.
Yet, at the most decisive moment in the history of salvation, the Archangel Gabriel comes before a humble young woman from Nazareth and addresses Her as "Hail, Full of Grace."
This unique salutation reveals Her extraordinary position in God's plan.
It is important to understand that the Angel was delivering God's message, not independently bestowing an honour of his own. The greeting came as part of God's divine plan and revealed the special grace with which He had favoured Her.
3. A Comparison: People Who Received Messages from God and His Angels
The Holy Bible records numerous occasions when Almighty God appeared to people, spoke to them directly or sent His angels to communicate His will.
Let us examine some of these important Biblical encounters.
The following list includes major examples rather than every angelic appearance in Scripture.
A. Old Testament
| Biblical figure | Message or divine encounter | Bible reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hagar | The Angel of the Lord instructed her to return to Sarai and promised a great future for Ishmael. He later comforted her and provided for them in the wilderness. | Genesis 16:7–13; 21:17–19 |
| Abraham | God appeared to Abraham and announced Isaac's birth; heavenly messengers also announced the coming judgment upon Sodom. The Angel of the Lord stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. | Genesis 18:1–19:29; 22:11–18 |
| Lot | Two angels warned Lot about the destruction of Sodom and led his family to safety. | Genesis 19:1–29 |
| Jacob | He saw angels ascending and descending a heavenly ladder, received divine instructions in a dream and encountered the mysterious heavenly messenger at Peniel. | Genesis 28:12–17; 31:11–13; 32:24–30 |
| Moses | The Angel of the Lord appeared in the burning bush and commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. | Exodus 3:1–12 |
| Balaam | The Angel of the Lord blocked his path and prevented him from proceeding against God's people. | Numbers 22:22–35 |
| Joshua | The commander of the Lord's army appeared to Joshua before the conquest of Jericho. | Joshua 5:13–15 |
| Gideon | The Angel of the Lord called Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites. | Judges 6:11–24 |
| Manoah and his wife | An angel announced the birth of Samson and instructed them regarding his consecrated life. | Judges 13:2–25 |
| David | The Angel of the Lord appeared in connection with the plague upon Israel and the altar at the threshing floor of Araunah. | 2 Samuel 24:15–17; 1 Chronicles 21:14–27 |
| Elijah | An angel provided food and encouragement to Elijah when he was exhausted and discouraged. | 1 Kings 19:5–8 |
| Elisha | God opened the eyes of Elisha's servant to see the heavenly army protecting them. | 2 Kings 6:15–17 |
| Daniel | The Archangel Gabriel explained prophetic visions and revealed messages concerning the future. | Daniel 8:15–27; 9:20–27 |
| Zechariah the prophet | Angels explained visions and communicated God's messages concerning Jerusalem and His people. | Zechariah 1:7–21; 4:1–6 |
B. New Testament
| Biblical figure | Message or divine encounter | Bible reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zechariah, father of John the Baptist | The Archangel Gabriel announced the miraculous birth of John the Baptist and his mission to prepare the way for the Lord. | Luke 1:11–20 |
| The Blessed Virgin Mary | The Archangel Gabriel greeted Her as "Full of Grace" and announced that She would conceive the Son of the Most High by the power of the Holy Spirit. | Luke 1:26–38 |
| Saint Joseph | An angel instructed him in dreams to take Mary as his wife, escape to Egypt with the Child and later return. | Matthew 1:20–24; 2:13–23 |
| The shepherds of Bethlehem | An angel announced the birth of the Saviour, followed by a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. | Luke 2:8–14 |
| The Magi | They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. | Matthew 2:12 |
| The Apostle Philip | An angel instructed him to travel towards Gaza, leading to the conversion and baptism of the Ethiopian official. | Acts 8:26–40 |
| Cornelius | An angel instructed the Roman centurion to send for Saint Peter. | Acts 10:1–8 |
| Saint Peter | An angel miraculously freed him from prison. | Acts 12:5–11 |
| Saint Paul | An angel assured him during a dangerous sea voyage that he and everyone travelling with him would survive. | Acts 27:21–26 |
| Saint John the Apostle | An angel revealed and interpreted important visions concerning the Church and the final victory of God. | Revelation 17:7; 21:9–10; 22:6–9 |
These examples demonstrate how Almighty God has used His heavenly messengers throughout salvation history.
We see patriarchs, prophets, judges, kings, apostles and ordinary people receiving divine messages.
But when we come to the Annunciation, we encounter something extraordinarily beautiful.
The Archangel Gabriel does not merely deliver a message to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He first greets Her with the remarkable salutation: "Hail, Full of Grace!"
That greeting is inseparable from Her unique divine election and the mystery of the Incarnation.
Abraham was the father of the faithful. Moses was chosen by God and spoke with God. David was chosen as king and received extraordinary promises. Solomon was specially gifted. Daniel was greatly beloved. Yet none of these individuals received the same distinctive greeting recorded at the Annunciation.
The significance is not that God did not love or honour those holy people. Rather, the Blessed Virgin Mary received a unique privilege because She was chosen to become the Mother of the Incarnate Son of God.
4. The Woman Who Became the Mother of Almighty God!
This is the most extraordinary truth about the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She is not merely a woman who gave birth to an important prophet or a great religious leader.
She gave birth to the Eternal Son of God, who assumed human nature in Her womb.
The angel explained:
"He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High." (Luke 1:32)
And further:
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." (Luke 1:35)
The child born of Her is truly God and truly man.
Therefore, the Catholic Church rightly calls Her the Mother of God (Theotokos).
This title does not mean that Mary existed before God or created His divine nature. It means that the Person whom She bore is God the Son, who became man.
What an extraordinary privilege!
Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, chose to enter human history through the womb of this humble and holy Virgin.
No other human being has ever received or will ever receive this unique privilege.
5. Why Must Every Christian Honour the Mother of Lord Jesus Christ?
Every genuine Christian must recognise the dignity of the Mother of Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider the following biblical truths:
A. God Himself Chose and Honoured Her
Luke 1:28 records the angelic greeting, while Luke 1:42 records Elizabeth's Spirit-filled declaration:
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"
B. She Prophesied That All Generations Would Call Her Blessed
In Luke 1:48, the Blessed Virgin Mary filled with the Holy spirit declares:
"For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed."
This is not a self-glorification. She immediately acknowledges that Almighty God has done great things for Her (Luke 1:49).
If Almighty God has declared Her blessed, who are we to treat Her with contempt?
C. Lord Jesus Christ Respected and Cared for His Mother
At the wedding feast of Cana, Lord Jesus Christ responded to Her intercession and performed His first sign, even though His time to perform the first miracle has not come. (John 2:1–11).
Even while suffering on the Cross, He entrusted Her to His beloved disciple:
"Behold, your mother!" (John 19:27)
The disciple received Her into his home.
D. The Holy Spirit Inspired Elizabeth to Honour Her
Elizabeth, Her aunt though aged, filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaimed:
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" (Luke 1:42)
"And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43)
This was not a human invention or an attempt to elevate Mary above God. It was a Spirit-inspired recognition of Her unique dignity.
E. The Church Is Called to Follow the Example of the Apostles
Acts 1:14 records that the Apostles persevered in prayer together with the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She was present among the earliest disciples of the Church, united with them in prayer.
Honouring Her is therefore not contrary to Christianity. It is deeply rooted in the Holy Bible.
6. Honouring Mary Is Not Worshipping Mary
Some Christians mistakenly believe that Catholics and the Orthodox worship the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This is completely false.
The Catholic Church worships Almighty Triune God alone: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Blessed Virgin Mary receives a unique and highest form of veneration among the saints, traditionally called hyperdulia. It is entirely different from the adoration (latria) that belongs to God alone.
Why?
Because She is the Mother of God Incarnate, the most blessed among women and the greatest example of a human creature completely surrendered to divine grace.
Honouring the Mother does not diminish the Son.
On the contrary, authentic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary leads the faithful towards Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember Her words at Cana:
"Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5)
Her entire life directs us towards Her Divine Son.
7. Why Is satan So Hostile Towards the Blessed Virgin Mary?
The extraordinary dignity of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a special significance in the spiritual battle between the faithful and satan.
The Holy Bible begins revealing this conflict in Genesis 3:15, where God speaks of the enmity between the serpent and the Woman, and between their respective offspring.
The Church understands this passage in the light of the victory of Lord Jesus Christ over satan and the unique cooperation of His Mother in the mystery of salvation.
The Book of Revelation presents another powerful image:
"A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." (Revelation 12:1)
This woman has an important relationship with the people of God and, in the Christian tradition, is also understood in its Marian dimension.
The dragon stands against her and seeks to destroy her offspring (Revelation 12:3–5, 13–17).
The spiritual significance is unmistakable: the Woman associated with the coming of the Messiah stands in opposition to the ancient serpent.
satan hates holiness, humility, obedience and complete surrender to Almighty God.
The Blessed Virgin Mary embodies these virtues in an extraordinary manner.
She is the Mother of the One who conquered satan through His death and Resurrection.
She is also the Woman whose YES opened the way for the Incarnation.
It is therefore understandable why the devil and his kingdom of darkness are opposed to Her honour and to authentic Marian devotion.
We must be careful not to attribute every criticism of Mary to direct demonic influence. Nevertheless, deliberately encouraging contempt for the Mother of our Lord is certainly contrary to the spirit of Christian reverence.
8. A Serious Warning to Those Who Deliberately Insult the Mother of God
It is deeply saddening that some people who identify themselves as Christians, particularly in certain Protestant and Pentecostal communities, openly ridicule Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Some dismiss Her as an ordinary woman, mock the Hail Mary prayer, ridicule the Holy Rosary and condemn those who honour Her.
There are, of course, sincere Christians from other traditions who disagree with Catholic Marian doctrines without intending to insult Her. Honest theological disagreement must be distinguished from deliberate mockery and hatred.
Nevertheless, those who knowingly insult the Mother of Lord Jesus Christ particularly those who left the Catholic Church, should seriously examine their words and attitudes.
Consider what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches in paragraph 2146: the Second Commandment forbids the abuse of the names of God, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints.
Paragraph 2148 also explains that blasphemy extends to language against the Church, the saints and sacred things.
Therefore, deliberately using abusive and contemptuous language against the Blessed Virgin Mary is not a harmless theological disagreement.
It is a serious offence against the reverence owed to sacred persons.
And what about the sin against the Holy Spirit?
Lord Jesus Christ gives a solemn warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31–32; Mark 3:28–30).
The Catechism explains that this sin involves a refusal to accept God's mercy through repentance (CCC 1864).
We should not casually declare that every person who insults the Blessed Virgin Mary has committed this unforgivable sin. But those who knowingly persist in rejecting God's truth, harden their hearts and refuse repentance place themselves in grave spiritual danger.
Let every Christian remember that words matter, and contempt for what Almighty God has made holy should never be taken lightly.
9. If You Love Lord Jesus Christ, Learn to Honour His Mother!
Imagine someone claiming to love a son while deliberately insulting and humiliating his mother.
Would that be an expression of genuine love?
Certainly not!
The Blessed Virgin Mary is not an ordinary relative of Lord Jesus Christ. She is His Holy Mother, chosen and respected by Almighty God for the unique mission of bringing the Saviour into the world.
We must never separate the Son from the Mother whom God chose for Him.
Of course, our salvation comes exclusively through the grace of God and the merits of Lord Jesus Christ. We do not honour Mary as a condition that replaces faith in Her Son. We honour Her because God has honoured Her, because She is the Mother of our Lord, and because Scripture itself calls Her blessed.
If we truly love Lord Jesus Christ, we should never deliberately despise the Woman whom He chose to be His Mother.
And if we sincerely follow the Holy Bible, we must take seriously Her prophetic declaration:
"Behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." (Luke 1:48)
Let us therefore honour Her with love, humility and reverence, following the example of the Archangel Gabriel, Saint Elizabeth and the early disciples.
Conclusion: Hail, Full of Grace! Blessed Are You Among Women!
The Blessed Virgin Mary is God's extraordinary masterpiece of grace among human creatures.
Her purity, humility, obedience, faith and charity make Her an incomparable model for all humanity.
She received the unique privilege of becoming the Mother of the Eternal Son of God, who became man for our salvation.
The Archangel Gabriel's extraordinary greeting at Nazareth reminds us of Her unique place in the divine plan.
Let no Christian be ashamed to honour Her.
Let no one mistake authentic Marian devotion for the worship that belongs to Almighty God alone.
And let no one deliberately insult the Mother whom God Himself chose and honoured.
May every generation continue to fulfil the inspired words of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
"For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." (Luke 1:48)
Hail, Holy Mary, Mother of God!
Hail, Queen of Heaven and Earth!
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave us His Holy Mother as a model of perfect holiness, humility and obedience!
