THE DEATH OF THE THEOTOKOS WAS ALSO LIFE-BEARING

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE DEATH OF THE THEOTOKOS WAS ALSO LIFE-BEARING

A most mystical economy of courtship came to pass as regards the Virgin, a strange greeting surpassing speech which the Archangel, descended from above, addressed to her, and disclosures and salutations from God which OVERTURN THE CONDEMNATION OF EVE AND ADAM AND REMEDY THE CURSE LAID ON THEM, TRANSFORMING IT INTO A BLESSING…THERE CAME TO PASS IN THE WOMB NOT A UNION ONLY, BUT FURTHER, A FORMATION, AND THAT THING FORMED FROM THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH AND THE ALL-HOLY VIRGINAL WOMB WAS THE INCARNATE LOGOS/WORD OF GOD. Thus the Logos/Word of God took up His dwelling in the Theotokos in an inexpressible manner and proceeded from her, bearing flesh…This is the encomium which transcends nature and the surpassingly glorious glory of the Ever-Virgin …She was also rightly glorified and exalted together with Him…

The death of the Theotokos was also the Life-bearing translating (Gk. Metastasis) her into a celestial and immortal life …Its commemoration not merely renews the memory of the wondrous (miraculous) deeds of the Mother of God, but also adds thereto the strange gathering at her All-sacred burial of all the sacred Apostles conveyed from every nation…Thus she exalted those under her through herself, and, showing while on earth an obedience to things heavenly rather than things earthly, she partook of more excellent deserts and of superior power.

…She alone in her body, GLORIFIED GOD, now enjoys the celestial realm together with her Son. For earth and grave and death did not hold forever her Life-originating and God-receiving body — THE DWELLING MORE FAVORED THAN HEAVEN AND THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS …HOW INDEED COULD THAT BODY SUFFER CORRUPTION AND TURN TO EARTH? …tHE ‘Ark of Holiness" (Psalm 131:8) IS RESURRECTED, AFTER THE PROPHETIC ODE BELOW …IN THIS MANNER SHE WAS IN Sion …UNITING THOSE ON HIGH WITH THOSE BELOW …IN THIS MANNER SHE WAS IN THE BEGINNING "A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS" (Psalm 8:6) as it is said, referring to her mortality, yet this only served to magnify her Pre-eminence as regards all creatures …RECEPTACLE OF GREAT GRACES …SHE ONLY IS THE FRONTIER BETWEEN CREATED AND UNCREATED NATURE, AND THERE IS NO MAN THAT SHALL COME TO GOD EXCEPT HE BE TRULY ILLUMINED THROUGH HER …IT WAS THROUGH THE THEOTOKOS ALONE THAT THE LORD CAME TO US. [Saint Gregory Palamas, Homily on the Dormition).

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George