
As I worked, I felt God drawing me into prayer. “Kecharitomene,” I murmured in my heart. “Kecharitomene.”
Welcome to Part 7 of a new weekly series on the formation journey of Josh, a first-year novice at the Marian House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Watch for a new entry every Friday.
Varoooom! Varoooom! Varoooom!
The vacuum cleaner rolled across the scarlet carpet of the religious house as I systematically made my way along the main hallway. It was Friday afternoon, and I was responsible for cleaning the second floor.
As I worked, I felt God drawing me into prayer. “Kecharitomene,” I murmured in my heart. “Kecharitomene.”
The graces of the day began flowing right away that morning, meditating with religious artwork. Later, when the novices gathered with Fr. Jim for class, a discussion began about revising our dining room wall paint. I saw my attention wasn’t constantly needed, so I allowed myself to periodically meditate on inspiring images on my laptop screensaver.
When my perspective was needed for paint discussion, I got involved, but when I wasn’t needed, I meditated. Then, joy flowed into me as I lovingly poured out praises on God and Mary. I stopped praying when class started.
Gentle puffs of oxygen
Now, as I vacuumed the hallway, I felt warm joy, affection, and gratitude welling up within me again. Longer verbal prayers would have gotten in the way; the heart needed only very simple prayers to feed its affections, like gentle puffs of oxygen on a flame already lit.
“Kecharitomene,” I kept saying. “Kecharitomene.” I felt immersed in the Holy Spirit.
In the original Greek New Testament, at the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary, “Chaire, Kecharitomene, ho Kyrios Meta sou” (Lk 1:28). “Kecharitomene” is a perfect passive participle of the verb “charitoo,” which means “to grace,” or “to peruse with grace or favor.” Biblically, Charis and Charitoo indicate divine grace that sanctifies souls and makes them holy.
Although the Bible also refers to Jesus and St. Stephen as “full of grace,” the manner in which Gabriel uses “Kecharitomene” to address Mary is special, for he uses it as a title or a name. Biblically, God’s naming a person is always important.
Gabriel does not use her name, “Mary,” when addressing her, and in translations that say, “highly favored one,” the word “one” should be put in brackets, for it is not in the original text. She is simply “Kecharitomene,” “Full of Favor/Grace,” to the angel.
Enduring result
The word “Kecharitomene” indicates a past action (having been filled with grace) with a complete and enduring result (completely filled with grace now, as well). The angel’s exact words were, “Chaire (rejoice), Kecharitomene (Full of Grace), ho Kyrios Meta sou (the Lord is with you).” Dr. Robert Stackpole notes that, thus, the most accurate translation of the angel Gabriel’s salutation to Mary would be: “Hail, transformed-by-grace-one, the Lord is with you!”
These words’ importance is underlined by Mary’s immediate reaction. When shepherds saw an angel at Jesus’ birth, they were filled with fear. However, Mary was filled with fear by “the saying,” not the sight. The next verse says, “But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be” (Lk 1:29).
She had reason to be troubled. The extraordinary gift of grace indicated by the angel’s greeting is unique in human history, constituting the gift Catholics call “the Immaculate Conception.” The Immaculate Conception prepared Mary to be mother of Jesus, who is God. Only Jesus had more grace on Earth than “Kecharitomene,” His mother.
The Holy Spirit was moving again in me, flooding my heart with happiness through this Greek word that “greatly troubled” Mary when Gabriel called her by it.
“Kecharitomene ...” Soon, I was just repeating, “thank you.” The grace Mary received was certainly not for her alone, nor even for Jesus alone! She also received this grace to give it to us.
Blessed through cooking
That evening, the Holy Spirit returned while I was making supper, continuing His earlier activity from that afternoon. As He’d blessed me through the vacuuming, now He blessed me through cooking. I felt deepening peace despite the fact that the meal was running late and there was a risk that we’d keep the community waiting.
I had to literally run between the kitchen and the dining room carrying dishes of food, but interiorly, God gave me peace free from anxiety.
The meal was delicious and on time, and everyone we served was very happy. The Lord took care of everything, and although I was only able to sit down for my own supper while everyone else was finishing, I was already well-fed on a delicious repast of peace.
Next entry: "A Sword of the Spirit."
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