St. Thomas Aquinas' Sermon on the "Hail Mary"
SOURCE
Prologue
There are three things contained in this (angelic)
salutation. The first part comes from the Angel, Gabriel, namely, "Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women." The
second part comes from Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist,
namely, "Blessed is the fruit of thy womb." The Church adds the third
part, to wit, "Mary," for the Angel did not say, "Hail, Mary," but
rather, "Hail, full of grace." Still, this name 'Mary,' according to its
meaning, befits the Angel's words, as we shall see.
"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee"
With respect to the first part, consider that in
ancient times it was exceedingly great for an Angel to appear to men,
or, that men might offer them reverence was held to be a great honor.
Hence, to the honor of Abraham it is written that he received angelic
guests and showed them reverence. That an Angel reverence a man,
however, was never heard of until the Angel reverently greeted the
Blessed Virgin, saying, "Hail."
That in ancient times the Angel did not reverence
man, but rather man reverenced the Angel comes from the fact that the
Angel is greater, and greater with respect to three things. First, with
respect to dignity, since the Angel is a spiritual nature: "You make
your Angels to be spirits, etc." (Ps. 103,4).
Man, indeed, is corruptible by nature, for which reason Abraham said:
"I am speaking to the Lord, I, who am but dust and ashes" (Gen 18,27).
Second, with respect to their familiarity with GOD, for the Angel
belongs to the household of GOD ('familiaris') inasmuch as he assists
Him. "A thousand times a thousand minister to Him, and ten thousand
myriads assist Him." (Dan 7,10). Man, though, is like a stranger, set off from GOD by sin: "I withdrew in flight" (Ps 54,8).
Therefore, it was fitting that man should reverence the Angel as one on
close and familiar terms with the king ('propinquum and familiarem
regis'!). Third, the Angel took preeminence on account of the plenitude
of the splendor of divine grace. The Angels, namely, participate in the
light of divine grace itself in the very highest degree. "Is there any
number to His armies upon whom His light does not arise?" (Job 25,3).
And this is why they always appear with light. But men, even though
they participate somewhat in the light of grace, do so only slightly and
in obscurity.
Consequently, it was unfitting that men be shown
reverence until someone should be found in this (human) nature who
exceeds the angels in these three points. And this was the Blessed
Virgin. In order to indicate that she exceeded them in these three
points the Angel wished to offer her reverence, saying "Hail."
Thus the Blessed Virgin exceeds the Angels in
these three points. And first of all in the plenitude of grace, which is
greater in the Blessed Virgin than in any Angel. To indicate this, the
Angel offered her reverence, calling her full of grace, as if to say:
"This is why I offer you reverence, because you excel me in the fullness
of grace."
The Blessed Virgin is said to be full of grace in
three regards. First, with respect to her soul, in which she had every
plenitude of grace. The grace of GOD is given, namely, for two purposes:
to do good and to avoid evil. With respect to these two ends the
Blessed Virgin had the most perfect grace. For she avoided sin more
perfectly than any other saint outside of Christ. Sin is either Original
Sin (and of this she was cleansed in the womb) or it is mortal or
venial sin (and of these she was free). Hence, in the Canticle of
Canticles (4,7) we read: "You are all
fair, my friend, there is no flaw in you!" In his work "On Nature and
Grace" St. Augustine writes: "With the exception of the Virgin Mary, if
all the saints together had been asked if they were without sin while
living here on earth, all would have unanimously exclaimed: 'If we were
to say that we have no sin, we would be deceiving ourselves, and the
truth would not be in us.' With the exception of this holy Virgin, as I
say, concerning whom I wish to raise no question when it touches the
question of sin, out of respect for the Lord, we know what abundance of
grace for overcoming sin in every regard was conferred upon her, who had
the merit to conceive and bear Him Who undoubtedly had no sin."
Christ exceeded the Blessed Virgin in this, since
He was both conceived and born without Original Sin, whereas the Blessed
Virgin was conceived but not born with Original sin.1 She exercised the
works of every virtue, whereas other saints excelled in some special
virtue, one in humility, another in chastity, another in mercy.
Accordingly, they are given as an example of some special virtue, as St.
Nicholas is an example of mercy. But the Blessed Virgin is the example
of every virtue, for in her you perceive the model of humility: "Behold,
the handmaid of the Lord," and "He has beheld the humility of His
handmaid" (Lk 1,38. 48). She is the
model of virginity: "for I know not man," and of every other virtue too,
as is sufficiently evident. Therefore, the Blessed Virgin has full
grace with respect to purity (good works) and with respect to virtue
(for overcoming evil).
Secondly, she was filled with grace with respect
to its overflow from the soul to the flesh or to the body. It is already
something great in the saints that they have so much grace that it
sanctifies the soul, but the soul of the Blessed Virgin was so filled
with grace that from her soul grace overflowed into the flesh, such that
from it she conceived the Son of God. That is why Hugh of St. Victor
says, "Since the love of the Holy Spirit was singularly aflame in her
heart, the marvel was accomplished in her flesh, inasmuch as that which
was born of her was GOD and man. 'For that which is conceived in her is
of the Holy Spirit'" (Mt 1,20).
Thirdly, inasmuch as her plenitude of grace
overflowed unto all men. It is something great in any saint that they
have so much grace that it suffices for their own salvation, but much
greater it is when they have so much that it suffices for the salvation
of many. But when anyone should have so much that it suffices for the
salvation of everybody in the world, this is the maximum. And this it is
in Christ and in the Blessed Virgin. For in every danger you can obtain
salvation from the glorious Virgin herself. Hence, the Canticle of
Canticles (4,4) has it: "Upon your neck
hang a thousand bucklers," that is, in remedy against danger. Similarly,
in every work of virtue you can have her as your help, wherefore she
herself says in Ecclesiastes: "In me is every hope of life and virtue,
etc."
Thus she is grace-filled, and exceeds the Angels
in the plenitude of grace. And for this reason she is fittingly called
'Maria,' which interprets 'enlightened in herself,' whence Isaiah (58,11) declares, "then shall your light rise." And again, it means, 'the enlightener of others' (cf. Is.60,3:
"And the nations shall come to your light"). This is to be understood
of the whole world, and thereforeshe is likened to the sun and to the
moon.
In the second place, the Blessed Virgin excels the
Angels in divine familiarity. The Angels designated this, saying "the
Lord is with you," as if to say, "I proffer you reverence, because you
are on more intimate terms with GOD than I am, for "the Lord is with
you." The Lord, I say, the Father is in the very Son, Whom no Angel nor
any other creature has. But "that which is to be born of you shall be
called Holy, the Son of GOD" (Lk 1,35).
The Lord, the Son, is present in her womb. "Shout and sing for joy, O
dwelling, Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel" (Is 12,6).
The Lord is with the Blessed Virgin in one way, and in another with the
Angel. He is with her as a Son, but with the Angel as the latter's
Lord. The Lord, the Holy Spirit, is with her as in His temple, when it
is said: "the temple of GOD, the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit," since
she conceived by the Holy Spirit: "the Holy Spirit shall come upon thee"
(Lk 1,35).
Thus, the Blessed Virgin is more familiar with GOD
than is the Angel, for with her is the Lord Father, the Lord Son and
the Lord Holy Spirit, the entire Trinity. Concerning her is sung the
verse: "noble repose of the entire Trinity."
This expression "the Lord is with you" is the most
noble that can be addressed to anyone. Deservedly, therefore, does the
Angel revere the Blessed Virgin, because she is the mother of the Lord,
and hence, (our) Lady. Here again the fittingness of the name 'Mary'
which in Syrian means 'Lady.'
In the third place she exceeds the Angels with
respect to purity, since the Blessed Virgin was not only pure in
herself, but procured purity for others. She was herself most pure both
with respect to guilt, for she incurred neither Original, nor mortal nor
venial sin, nor did she incur any penalty.
Three maledictions were given to mankind on
account of sin. The first befell woman, that she would conceive in
corruption, carry in discomfort, and bear in labor. But from this the
Blessed Virgin was immune, since she conceived without corruption,
carried with solace, and bore the Saviour in joy. Isaiah declares (35,2):
"Let it flower and flourish , and rejoice with joy and singing." The
second was given to man, namely, that in the sweat of his brow he shall
eat his bread. From this the Blessed Virgin was exempt, as the Apostle
states in 1 Cor 7,34: virgins are free
of the cares of this world and solicitous solely for GOD. The third
malediction was common to both men and women, namely, that unto dust
they should return. And from this the Blessed Virgin was immune, since
she was assumed into heaven with her body. We believe namely that after
her death she was raised up and carried into heaven. "Arise, O Lord, and
go to Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy might." (Ps 131,8).
"Blessed art thou amongst Women"
So she was therefore immune from every malediction,
and consequently "blessed among women," since she alone took away the
malediction and brought the blessing, and opened the gate of paradise.
And again the name, 'Mary' befits her, which is (also) interpreted as
'Star of the Sea,' for as by this star seafarers are directed to port,
so are Christians guided to glory by Mary.
"Blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb"
A sinner sometimes seeks something which he
cannot attain, whereas the just soul attains it. "The sinner's wealth is
laid up for the righteous!" (Prov. 13,22).
Thus Eve sought the fruit, but did not find in it what she sought. The
Blessed Virgin truly found in her fruit everything that Eve had desired.
Now Eve desired three things in the fruit.
First, that which the devil had falsely promised
her, namely that they become like gods, knowing good and evil. "You will
be (said that liar) like gods" as is recorded in Gen 3,5.
And he lied because he is a liar, and the father of the same. Now, Eve
did not become like GOD through the eating of her fruit, but rather
became even less like Him, since by sinning she withdrew from GOD her
salvation, for which reason she was expelled from paradise. But the
Blessed Virgin and all Christians have found this in the fruit of her
womb, for through Christ we are conjoined and made like unto GOD. "When
He appears, we shall be like Him" (1 Jn 3,2).
Secondly, Eve desired delectation
in her fruit, for it was good to eat. But she did not find this
delectation, because she immediately discovered that she was naked and
had pain. But in the fruit of the Virgin we find sweetness and
salvation. "He who eats My Flesh has eternal life" (Jn 6,55).
Thirdly, Eve's fruit was
delightful to the eye; but even more so was the fruit of the Virgin, on
whom the Angels long to gaze. "You are the fairest of the sons of men" (Ps 44,2), and this is because He is the splendor of the Father's glory.
So Eve was not able to find in her fruit, nor can
any sinner find in sin, the things they truly desire. That which we
desire, therefore, let us seek in the fruit of the Virgin.
This fruit, Jesus, moreover,
is blessed by GOD, since He filled Him with every grace that comes to
us. "Blessed be God the Father who has blessed us in every spiritual
blessing in Christ" (Eph 1,3). It is blessed by the Angel, who offers
Him reverence in Apoc 7,12: "Blessing and glory and wisdom and
thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God,.." And it is
blessed by men, "Let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord in
the glory of God the Father" (2,2). "Blessed is He Who comes in the name
of the Lord" (Ps 117,26).
(Translated by WW).
1 St. Thomas did not discern the Dogma of
the Immaculate Conception, which teaches that Mary was not only born
free of Original Sin, but also in anticipation of the merits of her Son,
Jesus Christ, was also conceived without Original Sin. This Dogma was
solemnly declared some six centuries after the death of St. Thomas.
* In his sermon St. Thomas only commented on the biblical, or first half of the "Hail Mary"