ngel expressed with the words "full of grace." These words mean:
thou art filled with all the divine graces in a measure possible to no
other creature; thou hast received to the full all graces. As God will
exalt thee to a dignity beyond that of the most exalted spirits of
heaven, so He has granted you more and greater graces than even to the
Seraphim and Cherubim. Now since thou hast cooperated in a perfect
manner with all these graces, thou hast become the most virtuous, the
holiest, the most perfect of all creatures. Therefore, art thou worthy
to become the mother of the Most High.

Mary's second privilege which the angel mentioned was her elevation to
the dignity of mother of God. "The Lord is with thee," that is, God has
bestowed upon thee every grace, and, finding thee worthy, thou art to
be the mother of His Son, to cooperate in the redemption and the
salvation of the world.

In the words "The Lord is with thee" is expressed the intimate
relationship of Mary to God, accomplished by the Incarnation. Not
merely through the fulness of His grace and love is God with her, but
even according to the flesh God is intimately united to her.

Mary's third privilege announced by the angel is the exalted veneration
which she merits for her dignity and sanctity. The angel expresses this
in the words "Blessed art thou among women." The angel had reference to
the promise given by God in Paradise, that there would come a woman who
should crush the serpent's head. He had in mind also the renowned women
of the old law who had rescued the people of God from peril and
oppression, and who were for this reason blessed by the people, such as
Judith and Esther. These heroic women were glorious prototypes,
pointing to Mary who was to crush the serpent's head, to destroy the
designs of Lucifer, and to save the human race from destruction. Yes,
truly, Mary is blessed by God among all women, and is herself an
infinite blessing for the entire world. The Lord hath done great things
in her. She realized this herself, in those prophetic words, "Behold
from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed, for he that is
mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is his name." And so it
has been, and ever will be, as long as the sun illumines the earth. For
more than nineteen centuries the people and nations have joyfully
repeated the angel's words, "Blessed art thou among women." By precept
of the Church we add the words "and blessed is the