See CCC §2676.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, as the Mother of God, is above all the Angels and Saints. She is pronounced “Blessed among women” (Lk 1:28), and is to be called “blessed” by the faithful throughout all generations. Christ appointed her as our mother and us as her children, in the person of Saint John: “When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (Jn 19:26-27).
We should frequently implore her intercession. Such has been the practice of the Saints. They were noted for their tender devotion to her, for example, Saint Bernard, Saint Bonaventure, Saint Ignatius, Saint Alphonsus Ligouri, etc. The Saints have received many great blessings, through her intercession, and so may we, if we are, like them—fervent and devout in imploring her assistance. Pray to her for her intercession fervently and devoutly on all occasions, especially in your temptations and spiritual needs. Ask her to obtain your requests placing the greatest confidence in her intercession, for if she prays for you, you may rest assured that God will grant what she asks. Saint Bernard says that “never has anyone been known to have recourse to her protection, implore her aid, or ask for her intercession, without obtaining relief!”
The manner in which our Lord granted her request, at the marriage feast at Cana in Galilee, shows the power of her intercession: “When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast. So they took it.” And it was found to be wine, as the Blessed Virgin had requested (Jn 2:3-8).
What is the Prayer to her, which the Church teaches? The “Hail Mary;” or “The Angelic Salutation.”
Hail Mary [or Rejoice, Mary]: the greeting of the angel Gabriel opens this prayer. It is God himself who, through his angel as intermediary, greets Mary. Our prayer dares to take up this greeting to Mary with the regard God had for the lowliness of his humble servant and to exult in the joy he finds in her.
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: These two phrases of the angel’s greeting shed light on one another. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of him who is the source of all grace. “Rejoice . . . O Daughter of Jerusalem . . . the Lord your God is in your midst. Mary, in whom the Lord himself has just made his dwelling, is the daughter of Zion in person, the ark of the covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells. She is “the dwelling of God . . . with men. “Full of grace, Mary is wholly given over to him who has come to dwell in her and whom she is about to give to the world.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. After the angel’s greeting, we make Elizabeth’s greeting our own. “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” Elizabeth is the first in the long succession of generations who have called Mary “blessed.” “Blessed is she who believed…. “Mary is “blessed among women” because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s word. Abraham, because of his faith, became a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Mary, because of her faith, became the mother of believers, through whom all nations of the earth receive him who is God’s own blessing: Jesus, the “fruit of thy womb.”
Holy Mary, Mother of God: With Elizabeth we marvel, “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Because she gives us Jesus, her son, Mary is Mother of God and our mother; we can entrust all our cares and petitions to her: she prays for us as she prayed for herself: “Let it be to me according to your word.” By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her: “Thy will be done.”
Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death: By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the “Mother of Mercy,” the All-Holy One. We give ourselves over to her now, in the Today of our lives. And our trust broadens further, already at the present moment, to surrender “the hour of our death” wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her son’s death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Many Catholic prayers, including the Glory Be prayer, were formed to combat false teachings.
As early as the year 300 Catholics began using the phrase, “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”.
This phrase became popular for two reasons: The first is because it is fitting to praise God in this form following the example Jesus gave when He instructed his followers go out and baptize. Secondly, to defend and promote the belief in the Blessed Trinity.
In the year 529 the second part of the prayer was added. “As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.”
This phrase was added to confirm that there truly are three Persons in one God. That the Son and the Holy Spirit were one with the Father in the beginning, now and always will be.