The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception: “Ave, gratia plena!”

On the Assumption Who and what was the blessed and glorious Mary, always a Virgin, hath been revealed by God by the message of an Angel, in these words: “Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women”.

It was fitting that a fullness of grace should be poured into that Virgin who hath given to God glory and to man a Saviour, who hath brought peace to earth, who hath given faith to the Gentiles, who hath killed sin, who hath given law to life, who hath made the crooked ways straight. 

Verily, she is full of grace. To others grace cometh measure by measure; in Mary grace dwelleth at once in all fullness. Verily, she is full of grace. We believe that the holy Fathers and Prophets had grace; but they were not full of grace. But into Mary came a fullness of all the grace which is in Christ, albeit otherwise than as it is in Him. 

Therefore is it said: “Blessed art thou among women”, that is, “Blessed art thou above all women”.. The fulness of blessing in Mary utterly neutralized in her any effects of the curse of Eve. In her praise Solomon writeth in the Song of Songs, ii. 10,: “Rise up, my dove, my fair one, for the winter is past, the rain is over and gone”. And again: “Come from Lebanon, my Spouse, come, thou shalt be crowned”. iv. 8.

From the Sermons of St. Jerome, Priest at Bethlehem.