THE NATIVITY OF THE MOST PURE THEOTOKOS (Part II)

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 NATIVITY OF THE MOST PURE THEOTOKOS (Part II)

"… She is the most fragrant flower, giving forth the fragrance of the only King. She is hte flower which bears Fruit which is Christ the Lord, the flower which has borne the fragrant Apple. She is sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit which has descended upon her and has overshadowed her, and she is the HOLIEST OF ALL SAINTS as she was born the Logos/Word, Who Himself is more holy than all the Saints. She, the pure and undefiled one, is excluded from the ranks of the sinners of this world, being as stranger from sin who averts sinners from wicked deeds, as the Church says unto her, "Rejoice, thou who dost rescue us from the works of sin" (The Akathistos, Oikos 5)…She is crowned with glory, as the Mother of God, for what could be more glorious than to bear God? She is crowned with honor, as the Ever-Virgin, for what could be more honorable than to remain a virgin even after giving birth? She is crowned with glory, more glorious than the Seraphim, possessed of love for God lie that of the Seraphim. She is crowned with honor, more honorable than the Cherubim, having surpassed the Seraphim in wisdom and knowledge of the Divinity…

"…All this is said in respect to her spiritual beauty, but she was not lacking in physical beauty. Many of the teachers of the Church testify that there has never been nor shall there ever be a virgin as fair as the Virgin Theotokos. When Saint Dionysius the Areopagite saw her, he would have called her God, had not known that God was born of her. The Divine grace with which she was filled shone forth brilliantly from her face. Such was the palace which the Heavenly King prepared beforehand upon the earth! SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL BOTH IN SOUL AND BODY, "as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation, Ch. 21), and, what is more, exceedingly spacious: "Thy womb He made more spacious than the heavens," and therein Christ, God UNCONTAINABLE, HAS BEEN CONTAINED…

"…She contains God in her womb and holds us in her compassionate bosom. The chosen and holy vessel, the Apostle Paul, moved by compassion, said to his beloved spiritual children, "Our heart is enlarged; ye are not straitened in us" (II Corinthians, Ch. 6). Yet in which of the saints may be found such all-embracing, divine compassion as in the Virgin Mary? Here the chaste are accommodated, and the sinner is not excluded. Here the penitent has his place, while he who is despairing and unrepentant has a refuge like a new ark which shelters not only clean but unclean animals as well: its entrance is barred to none. Her compassion easily accommodates all those who sorrow, who are offended, who hunger, who are strangers, who are troubled, and who are sick. For it is not possible for her to be lacking in mercy, whose womb bore for us the Gracious God.

The palaces of earthly kings are guarded by armed sentries, who do not allow everyone wishing to enter to do so, but instead halt and carefully question all as to why they have come. But as for the Living Palace of Christ, although she is surrounded by Cherubim and Seraphim, by the innumerable choirs of Angels, and by all the Saints, at the doors of her compassionate mercy no one hinders anyone who desires to enter, neither do the guards expel anyone, nor do soldiers drive away anyone after having questioned him as to why he has come; but having prayerfully entered he receives a gift which profits him according to his petition. Thus, let us hasten to the compassionate bosom of her who has born of a barren womb, hailing her thus, "Rejoice, O Immaculate Palace of the King of All! Rejoice, dwelling place of God and of the Logos/Word! To Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and to thee, O Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, and Bride of the Holy Spirit, be Honor and Glory from us mortals unto the ages. Amen. [Resources: The Great Collection of The Lives of the Saints]

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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