Book Review: Hail Mary: Pondering the Mysteries of Love
“Sometimes, when my mind is in such a great aridity that it is impossible to draw forth one single thought to unite me with God, I very slowly recite an Our Father and then the angelic salutation [the Hail Mary]; then these prayers give me great delight.” - St. Therese of Lisieux from her “Story of a Soul”
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee…”
This prayer we Catholics learn as children is often our go-to prayer for consolation. We frequently ask for Mother Mary’s intercession for mission trips; during retreats; at the beginning or end of small groups and Bible studies; through the Rosary; and in moments of stress, sadness, and anxiety. It is very much our anchoring prayer in our day-to-day life.
We know the prayer, but do we know the prayer? How often do we sit and reflect with the Hail Mary? Do we say the prayer or do we pray the prayer?
In “Hail Mary: Pondering the Mysteries of Love,” Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., and Fr. Philip Nolan, O.P., invite readers to sit, reflect, and pray with the Hail Mary. In a retreat-style book, Frs. Hofer and Nolan guide readers line-by-line through the Hail Mary interweaving Scripture, the liturgy and Magisterium, the saints, the Rosary, and our everyday lives. Through praying the Hail Mary, we able to “…receive God’s love, and to learn to love in return” (Hofer and Nolan, p. 11).
Joy and the Cross
The Hail Mary begins with joy. We rejoice in Mary’s “yes” to the world’s salvation. Frs. Hofer and Nolan reflect on joy supporting “the entirety of life in Christ” as we pray through the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries (p. 17). Spiritual joy is mocked by the world, but it is our joy in Christ that enables us to endure the cross. Our Mother Mary knows both joy and sorrow, and she does not dismiss our own joy and sorrow. Rather she shares in them while pointing us to the cross where Jesus draws us into His sacred heart of mercy.
Praise and Petition
The Hail Mary is a prayer of both praise and petition. We praise God for all that He has done for us and we petition for our salvation. The Mass is a prayer of praise and petition 一 we sing the Gloria remembering the angels’ song on that first Christmas Eve and then at the people’s response at the end of the Offertory we say, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church” as in our salvation (p. 79). The Hail Mary leads us back to God’s plan for us: “to become holy by sharing in his glory” (p. 80).
Our Now in the Everyday Moments
One of the most important moments of our salvation is “now”. It is how we say “yes” to God’s will in the ordinary moments of our daily lives. We all struggle with living in the “now” and instead focus on daydreams and the future. Other times, we struggle with carrying our cross, uncertain we have the strength to continue.
The Hail Mary is our prayer for consolation in saying “yes” to the Lord in ordinary, everyday moments as well as when we are tired of carrying our cross. Mother Mary is praying for us in the “now”. She is praying we say “yes,” praying we continue on with our cross, and praying we fix our eyes on her Son. She hears our petitions and is here with us, caring, encouraging, and loving us. She directs us to the sacraments to receive grace and inspires us to help others (p. 115).
In times of great distress, I have prayed the Hail Mary over and over, begging for Mother Mary to be with me and to console me. The moment was stressful, but there was a gentle peace washing over me with each Hail Mary, soothing me.
Recently at work, our internet went down, and it was difficult to connect to any of the hotspots. I was doing my best to work on that week’s newsletter that had to go out that day and with each internet connection issue, I was losing my patience. On my desk is a rosary, and holding on to it, I slowly started reciting the Rosary under my breath. Ever so slowly, my impatience with the internet issues was opening me to a space of praying for patience and for my work location.
The Hail Mary is not a prayer that we pray because that is all we Catholics know how to pray. It is our prayer to our Mother who hears our praise and petition, and who is present with us, showing her Son’s endless love for us. We learn to receive the Lord’s love and, in return, love the Lord. We ask for help in living in the “now” of our everyday moments. We pray the Hail Mary to unite with our Mother Mary, Jesus Christ, and God, our Father.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Alexandra (Alex) Harrel resides in Irving, Texas. She is a new student affairs professional within the world of higher education. In her spare time, she loves reading, embroidery, listening to podcasts, and spending time outdoors. Her favorite prayer is Hail, Holy Queen.