I was wondering if either you or someone else in this forum could help me get a fuller understanding of the meaning of term ‘full of grace’. In the Greek N.T. those words come out of the word ‘kecharitomene’ as used by St. Luke which was rendered as ‘gratia plena’ in Latin by St. Jerome. The Latin literally means “graced filled” or “favor filled”
I see this translated as ‘m’leah khesed’ in Hebrew.
What interests me specifically is the word ‘hesed’ - often rendered as steadfast, loving kindness in English - especially in the Psalms. It has, as I understand, the meaning of a social superior gratuitously bending down with gentle and merciful kindness toward a social inferior to raise that latter up. But like many Hebrew words ‘hesed’ is too rich to be rendered with just a few English words.
Some render the word as ‘favor’ or ‘grace’ which still does not get at the heart of the word.
If Mary is full of ‘hesed’ it says much.
Could you help me? Thanks!
The Greek "kecharitomene" is a special proper noun which only ocurrs once. It is pretty unique and only applied to the BVM. It is a compound word, where the word we use for "grace" and "charism" ("charis") forms the root. The noun is how the angel sees Mary --angels, by nature, see things as they are and call them as they see them--as filled with grace, God's favor, as any human can be.
In may lay opinion, Jerome's translation was accurate and verbatim from the Greek. Later in the Middle Ages, when "grace" was "quantified," "gratia plena" became "full with all actual and santifying graces." Not quite what the text means, but not in disagreement with it.
Incidentally, the salutation "kaire" ("shalom," "salve," "hail") was often accompanied by:
- Falling on the neck and kissing (Genesis 33:4; 45:14,15; Luke 15:20)No wonder was she astonished as the angels words! What every Annunciation skit in movies and Christmas plays have failed to do is to capture what the angel DID as he delivered the message.- Laying hold of the bear with the right hand (2 Samuel 20:9)
- Bowing frequently to the ground (Genesis 33:3)
- Embracing and kissing the feet (Matthew 28:9; Luke 7:38,45)
- Touching the hem of the garment (Matthew 14:36)
- Falling prostrate on the ground (Esther 8:3; Matthew 2:11; Luke 8:41)
- Kissing the dust (Psalms 72:9; Isaiah 49:23)
To say that one is "in the state of Grace" is to say that God dwells in one; to say that one is "full of grace" is to say that such a person, carries, as humanly possible, the full imprint of the divine indwelling in that person's soul; to single out one individual among all the actors in the Bible--besides Christ--for such a title, and to have an angel deliver the words--they who see the inner reality of all beings--makes such a human being truly special. Before the Incarnation, before the Passion and the Resurrection ocurred in time, Mary was as full of God's divine indwelling as her human nature allowed, gratuitously, undeservedly, and yet full, even to plenitude. That's what the words mean and the mystery really entails.
I hope this helps.
-Theo