Luke 1:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At last, the angel executed his divine mission, approaching the Virgin and entering her presence, proclaiming, “Hail, Most Gracious One! The Lord is with Thee.” The adversary no longer opposes You; for where the enemy dealt a blow, the healer applies a remedy. From the very place where death initiated its assault, life has constructed the pathway to renewal. Through a woman, evil entered the world; through a woman, blessings now flow. “Hail, Most Gracious”; do not feel remorse for the transgression of condemnation, for you have been chosen as the Mother of Him who brought it to an end. “Hail, Most Gracious”; rejoice, O Pure One, for you have given birth to the Bridegroom for a world in mourning.

The Lord declared to Eve, ‘In sickness you shall bear children’ (Genesis 3:16), yet this affliction is now transformed by the joy the angel conveys to the Virgin, proclaiming, ‘Rejoice, O blessed one!’ Where Eve faced a curse, Mary now receives the declaration, ‘blessed art thou.’

Recognize a virgin through her demeanor, discern her through her modesty, and note her reactions; perceive her by her discretion. Virgins are distinguished by their timidity, often feeling a sense of fear and trembling when approached by a man. Women should strive to follow this example of modesty. In the solitude of her private chambers, unseen by any man, only an angel comes to her, without any companions or witnesses, and greets her to shield her from any unworthy remarks. Young maiden, learn to shun trivial conversations, for even Mary trembled at the angel’s greeting.

An angel approached her and proclaimed, “Rejoice, O favored one! The Lord is with you.” This joy countered the curse placed upon Eve, who was told she would endure sorrow (Genesis 3:16), while this one was instructed to rejoice, which stands in stark contrast to suffering. “Rejoice,” he asserts, “for you have been chosen above all virgins to bear the Mother of God.” He refers to her as graceful, having been bestowed with divine favor, and “The Lord is with you” conveys a deeper truth than merely “God is within you.” Blessed are you among women, glorified and honored.

The phrase "The Lord is with thee," proclaimed by Gabriel, replaces the expression "God the Word is with thee." This indicates the reality that He is present within the womb, becoming flesh, as affirmed in the Scripture: "The Holy Ghost shall be upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).

Who fulfills the divine directives, and from where does he originate? The Archangel Gabriel descends from the heavens to proclaim a wondrous miracle: a mystery more astonishing than anything else is to be revealed by the messenger of the Most High, who comes down from the lofty heights to the earth. Gabriel carries out the sacrament and proclaims to the Virgin, ‘Rejoice!’ (Luke 1:28), so that the daughter of Eve, from the lineage of David, may recover the joy that her ancestor had forfeited.

During the rule of Herod, in the year 5500, the angel Gabriel was dispatched to Nazareth to visit the virgin Mary, a descendant of the tribe of David, with the message, “Rejoice, you who are favored. The Lord is with you!” Through these words, she became pregnant with the Word of God and gave birth to a son, naming him Jesus.

Furthermore, She is the Sovereign not only in her freedom from servitude and as a participant in divine authority, but also as the wellspring and foundation of humanity’s salvation, particularly due to Her indescribable and joyous Nativity. For a woman who is engaged to her spouse is more subject to a master than to a mistress, especially in light of the painful and sorrowful nature of childbirth, as articulated in the curse of Eve: ‘In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children: and unto thy husband shalt thou turn, and he shall rule over thee’ (Gen. 3:16). The Virgin Mother, in contrast, liberated humanity from this curse by receiving a message through the Angel that carried a greeting and blessing.

Zechariah appeared unexpectedly, entering and then withdrawing once again. This concept of "entering" is beautifully expressed by Andrew of Crete in relation to the Annunciation. The back and forth movement of the Angel draws closer to humanity, making it less astonishing to the Virgin Mary. A Church Father noted that the Blessed Virgin needed to be safeguarded from any confusion; she was under God's divine protection. "Hail, favored one. Greetings of joy: the Lord is with you." Here lies the source of joy! This greeting oriented her heart to embrace the joyful message. This resonates with the Gospel narratives detailing the events of Jesus Christ's earthly life, including the Annunciation of His Nativity.

The extraordinary sight of the heavenly being, the surprising nature of His appearance, and especially the peculiarity of His greeting bewildered the deeply humble Virgin. Yet, her spirit remained so serene that she could still ponder. Without responding to the salutation of the remarkable visitor, she contemplated to herself, “What will this embrace be like?”

In this moment of passionate prayer, the voice of the celestial messenger resonates: Rejoice, O favored one! Rejoice in the imminent arrival of the Messiah! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

During the sixth month following the wondrous revelation given to Zechariah in the temple, while the holy virgin was engaged in prayer or studying the Scriptures, the archangel Gabriel visited her in her chamber and proclaimed, "Rejoice, O favored one! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

"Hail" serves as a common greeting akin to saying hello. However, "Blagodatnaya" transcends a simple greeting; it is a distinctive salutation. The term gracious indicates a state of being especially favored by God, possessing unique divine blessings, and thus standing apart from other ordinary individuals. When the Angel addresses the Virgin with this word, it signifies the highest expression of God’s grace towards Her. "The Lord be with thee" is another traditional salutation, expressing a desire for the Lord's presence to accompany the one receiving this blessing.