Kecharitomene is an utterly unique word (a hapax legomenon), that had never appeared anywhere in Greek literature prior to the passage in Luke.
The traditional English translation for kecharitomene is "full of grace." While the translation "full of grace" for kecharitomene not perfect--because it doesn't go far enough--it is far better, it seems, than the rather insipid "most highly favored" with which some have wanted to replace it.This sort of watering down landed the 16th century humanist scholar Erasmus into controversy when, in his Latin translation of the Greek New Testament, he translated the word kecharitomene as gratiosa or "favored." To translate kecharitomene as "highly favored" rather than "full of grace" still troubles Catholic, as I think it should.
Lectio difficilior potior, goes the old saying. The stronger interpretation is the better one. As Scott Hahn puts it in his notes on this part of the Gospel of Luke in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, "the best translation," and the one most in accord with the analogy of faith, "is the most exalted one," In other words, "full of grace" best fits the bill to translate kecharitomene, though Hahn acknowledges the word is not quite a perfect fit.
The reason why "full of grace" does not go far enough and so is not a perfect fit is that "full of grace" is the literal translation of the Greek πληρης χαριτος (pleres charitos). That phrase is used to refer to St. Stephen, the first martyr, in Acts 6:8. It is also used to refer to Jesus, the Word made flesh, in The Gospel of John 1:14.
The same words ("full of grace"), it would appear obvious, ought not to be used to translate different Greek words (pleres charitos in Acts 6:8 and John 1:4 and kecharitomene in Luke 1:28). This is what drives the "most highly favored" crowd.
This is particularly true in that in both Acts 6:8 and John 1:4, the words "full of grace" are used in an obvious adjectival sense, and not as a noun, even a proper name or title, which is the case in Luke 1:28.
What the Angel Gabriel wants to communicate to Mary and to us is in the word kecharitomene is that Mary has a unique name, a unique title, a unique role in sacred history, and so--though human--is a unique being in the economy of salvation.
Mary is she whose very name, whose very title, whose very office, whose very person is to have been endowed with grace in anticipation of her role as Mother of God and Mother of the Church.
That's one reason why using "full of grace" does not go far enough. It is remarkable--in fact it is of utmost importance--that kecharitomene is clearly used by the angel Gabriel--the messenger of the most High God--as a proper noun, as Mary's heavenly name.
It is sad when people make Mary into less than God did. It is heretical to make her more than God did. Your quoted passage does the second.
“The fact that Gabriel greeted Mary as he did and did not greet Zechariah the same way shows Mary’s favored position (chosen to bear Messiah)
“Gabriel’s greeting was customary: Hail! or Greetings! (Gr. chaire). Mary was highly “favored” (Gr. kecharitomene) because God chose to bestow special grace (“favor,” Gr. charis) on her (cf. Eph. 1:6, the only other New Testament occurrence of kecharitomene). “. Thomas Constable
Eph1:6 uses this word in the same way - God’s grace bestowed on believers through no merit of their own.
>> “Mary has a unique name, a unique title, a unique role in sacred history, and so—though human—is a unique being in the economy of salvation.” <<
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Nonsense in the highest!
Mary had the most common woman’s name, no title whatsoever, was not unique as a person in any way beside her lineage through David, and has absolutely nothing to do with our salvation.
If you really believe a word of what you posted there, there is no hope for you.
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Mary and Grace
The word grace used in this passage in Luke is used in one other place in the Bible and that is Ephesians 1 where Paul is us that with this same grace, God has blessed us (believers) in the Beloved. IOW, we all have access to that grace and it has been bestowed on us all.
http://biblehub.com/greek/5487.htm
Luke 1:28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
Ephesians 1:4-6 In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Greek word “grace”
charitoó: to make graceful, endow with grace
Original Word: χαριτόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: charitoó
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-ee-to'-o)
Short Definition: I favor, bestow freely on
Definition: I favor, bestow freely on.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5487 xaritóō (from 5486 /xárisma, "grace," see there) – properly, highly-favored because receptive to God's grace. 5487 (xaritóō) is used twice in the NT (Lk 1:28 and Eph 1:6), both times of God extending Himself to freely bestow grace (favor).
Word Origin: from charis
Definition: to make graceful, endow with grace
NASB Translation: favored (1), freely bestowed (1).
Unfortunately for this weak theology, Mary needed a Savior...at least that is what she claimed.
Luke 1:47 "...and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,..."
Your overstatement of Mary's position (Mother of God, Mother of the Church) is part of the reason that many Romanists now dangerously venerate/worship her as Co-redemptrix, etc. a kind of 4th person of the Godhead. Blasphemy.
Nonsense...
Erasmus didn't translate the word kecharitomene...It wasn't in the texts that Erasmus was translating...It didn't exist...