The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"""208 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself whatmanner of salutation this should be. And theangel said to her Fear not, Mary, for thou hast:found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceivein thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thoushalt call His name Jesus. . . . The Holy Ghostshall come upon thee, and the power of the MostHigh shall overshadow thee, and therefore, also, theHoly which shall be born of thee shall be called theSon of God." l"Hail, full of grace ! St. Stephen and the Apostles were also said to be full of the Spirit of God.By this, however, we are not to understand that thesame measure of grace was imparted to them whichwas given to Mary. On each it is bestowed according to each one s merits and needs ; for, one is theglory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, andanother the glory of the stars, for star differeth fromstar in " 2glory and as Marys office of Mother of;God immeasurably surpassed in dignity that of the"protomartyr and of the Apostles, so did her gracesuperabound over theirs.The Lord is with thee" He exists in His creatures in different ways ; in those that are endowedwith reason in one way, in irrational creatures inanother. His irrational creatures have no means ofapprehending or possessing Him. All rational crea-1Luke i. 26-35.8 1. Cor. xv. 41.