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People at first carried 150 pebbles in a small leather pouch or in their pocket. With each devoutly prayed "[[The Lord's Prayer|Our Father]]" they would take one pebble out, or put one in. However, pebbles can be dropped and lost, so they adopted the use of a thin rope with 150 knots, moving from knot to knot and praying the "Our Father" on each knot until the end. Eventually they found that a string with 150 wooden beads was an easier tool, or implement, to use. This is [[Analogy|analogous]] to singing or playing a long piece of [[sacred]] [[music]] or a [[hymn]] with 150 verses out of love of God. Many churches in worship sing favorite old hymns of prayer and praise again and again, and people at home might recite favorite old poems of faith and devotion again and again. For the same reason, many Christians love personally reciting the [[Psalm 23|23rd Psalm]] and the Lord's Prayer frequently through the day, to keep their hearts attuned to the will and love of God.

People at first carried 150 pebbles in a small leather pouch or in their pocket. With each devoutly prayed "[[The Lord's Prayer|Our Father]]" they would take one pebble out, or put one in. However, pebbles can be dropped and lost, so they adopted the use of a thin rope with 150 knots, moving from knot to knot and praying the "Our Father" on each knot until the end. Eventually they found that a string with 150 wooden beads was an easier tool, or implement, to use. This is [[Analogy|analogous]] to singing or playing a long piece of [[sacred]] [[music]] or a [[hymn]] with 150 verses out of love of God. Many churches in worship sing favorite old hymns of prayer and praise again and again, and people at home might recite favorite old poems of faith and devotion again and again. For the same reason, many Christians love personally reciting the [[Psalm 23|23rd Psalm]] and the Lord's Prayer frequently through the day, to keep their hearts attuned to the will and love of God.

Soon after the development of this prayer-devotion of the 150 "Our Father"s, others began likewise using the "Angelic Salutation" (Luke 1:28). This was first mentioned as a devotion in Europe by St. Peter Damian, who died in 1072. This initial form of an abbreviated substitute for the chanted prayers of the Psalter was recommended as a devout remembrance of the wondrous, incomprehensible [[miracle]] of the [[Incarnation]] of God the Son when the angel [[Gabriel (archangel)|Gabriel]] came to Mary in [[Nazareth]] and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you".<ref>Luke 1:28</ref> Because Gabriel addressed Mary directly, her name was added to his salutation and said after the initial "Hail".<ref>See [http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hail "hail" definition (dictionary.com)]</ref> Saying this simple "Angelic Salutation" 150 times for the 150 Psalms of prophesy, with a devout intention of honoring the Incarnation and the mother of Jesus in praise of God, was deemed to be sufficient, because of its profound spiritual meaning within the whole of the mystery of salvation, and because it was uttered by an angel from heaven sent by God, Gabriel himself. He was the same angel who had appeared to the prophet Daniel. The simplest and most ignorant peasant could thus offer up his or her prayer of the heart in union with the official daily prayer of the whole Church to God, using words brought from heaven itself, remembering that the [[Logos|Word]] was made flesh and dwelt among us. The mouth uttered praise, and the mind was directed to the mystery of the Incarnation and the wonder of our salvation. It is also much shorter than the Our Father, and thus took less time. Many people prayed the "Angelic Salutation" with devotion, while others, equally devout, preferred the "Our Father".

Soon after the development of this prayer-devotion of the 150 "Our Father"s, others began likewise using the "Angelic Salutation" (Luke 1:28). This was first mentioned as a devotion in Europe by St. Peter Damian, who died in 1072. This initial form of an abbreviated substitute for the chanted prayers of the Psalter was recommended as a devout remembrance of the wondrous, incomprehensible [[miracle]] of the [[Incarnation]] of God the Son when the angel [[Gabriel (archangel)|Gabriel]] came to Mary in [[Nazareth]] and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you".<ref>Luke 1:28</ref> Because Gabriel addressed Mary directly, her name was added to his salutation and said after the initial "Hail".<ref>See [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hail "hail" definition (dictionary.com)]</ref> Saying this simple "Angelic Salutation" 150 times for the 150 Psalms of prophesy, with a devout intention of honoring the Incarnation and the mother of Jesus in praise of God, was deemed to be sufficient, because of its profound spiritual meaning within the whole of the mystery of salvation, and because it was uttered by an angel from heaven sent by God, Gabriel himself. He was the same angel who had appeared to the prophet Daniel. The simplest and most ignorant peasant could thus offer up his or her prayer of the heart in union with the official daily prayer of the whole Church to God, using words brought from heaven itself, remembering that the [[Logos|Word]] was made flesh and dwelt among us. The mouth uttered praise, and the mind was directed to the mystery of the Incarnation and the wonder of our salvation. It is also much shorter than the Our Father, and thus took less time. Many people prayed the "Angelic Salutation" with devotion, while others, equally devout, preferred the "Our Father".

Some [[medieval]] [[theologian]]s of the 13th century, by deep [[meditation]] and [[Hermeneutics|skillful interpretation]] of the 150 Psalms saw in them veiled, or [[Allegory|allegorical]], prophesies about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. They began to compose 150 ''praises of Jesus'' based on interpretations of the 150 Psalms, and offering them as "Psalters of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ". Soon, to honor his mother also, 150 praises of Mary were also composed as "Psalters of Our Lady [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary Mother of Our Lord]]". A shorter Psalter of 50 Marian praises was commonly called a bouquet of spiritual fragrance, offered from the heart like a bouquet of roses, in [[Latin]] a "''rosarium''". Many mothers receive bouquets of flowers on [[Mother's Day]], and songs are sung in honor of them, in fulfillment of the commandment to "Honor thy father and thy mother" (Exodus 20:12). Defenders of devotion to Mary point out that sons are pleased when their mothers are honored, and that when a woman in the crowd blessed his mother, Jesus the Son of Mary agreed, but he also said, "Yes! Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Luke 11:28), and they point out that Elizabeth, [[Inspiration|inspired]] by the [[Holy Spirit]] Himself, also said, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord!" (Luke 1:45). Mary herself testified, "Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed!" (Luke 1:48). And they note that Jesus also said, "Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, '''and mother'''" (Matthew 12:50). And to the one who asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus included the commandment, "Honor your father and mother" (Matthew 19:19). They conclude that to honor Mary the mother of Jesus is to honor and please Jesus himself, God the Son, who chose Mary and honored her above all others, by making her his own mother and becoming incarnate in her womb, and being obedient to her (Luke 2:51), a unique [[privilege]] given to no one else. Because she heard the word of God and kept it, and therefore she certainly did the will of God, they reason that, according to the Bible, by Jesus' own testimony, she is therefore most truly his mother, not only by nature, but by her doing the will of his Father in heaven.  

Some [[medieval]] [[theologian]]s of the 13th century, by deep [[meditation]] and [[Hermeneutics|skillful interpretation]] of the 150 Psalms saw in them veiled, or [[Allegory|allegorical]], prophesies about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. They began to compose 150 ''praises of Jesus'' based on interpretations of the 150 Psalms, and offering them as "Psalters of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ". Soon, to honor his mother also, 150 praises of Mary were also composed as "Psalters of Our Lady [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary Mother of Our Lord]]". A shorter Psalter of 50 Marian praises was commonly called a bouquet of spiritual fragrance, offered from the heart like a bouquet of roses, in [[Latin]] a "''rosarium''". Many mothers receive bouquets of flowers on [[Mother's Day]], and songs are sung in honor of them, in fulfillment of the commandment to "Honor thy father and thy mother" (Exodus 20:12). Defenders of devotion to Mary point out that sons are pleased when their mothers are honored, and that when a woman in the crowd blessed his mother, Jesus the Son of Mary agreed, but he also said, "Yes! Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Luke 11:28), and they point out that Elizabeth, [[Inspiration|inspired]] by the [[Holy Spirit]] Himself, also said, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord!" (Luke 1:45). Mary herself testified, "Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed!" (Luke 1:48). And they note that Jesus also said, "Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, '''and mother'''" (Matthew 12:50). And to the one who asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus included the commandment, "Honor your father and mother" (Matthew 19:19). They conclude that to honor Mary the mother of Jesus is to honor and please Jesus himself, God the Son, who chose Mary and honored her above all others, by making her his own mother and becoming incarnate in her womb, and being obedient to her (Luke 2:51), a unique [[privilege]] given to no one else. Because she heard the word of God and kept it, and therefore she certainly did the will of God, they reason that, according to the Bible, by Jesus' own testimony, she is therefore most truly his mother, not only by nature, but by her doing the will of his Father in heaven.