Nativity of the Theotokos

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Those of us who were able to attend the service last night or read from it on our own were feasted with the profound and beautiful poetry of the Church. One hymn that I found particularly striking was used as both the first hymn for the feast for “Lord I have Cried” and also for the Glory, Both Now:

Today God, Who resteth upon the noetic thrones hath made ready for Himself a holy throne upon the earth. He that made firm the heavens in His wisdom hath prepared a living Heaven in His love for man. For from a barren root He hath blossomed forth a life-giving branch for us, even His Mother. O God of marvels and hope of the hopeless, O Lord, glory be to Thee.

The word of salvation stops the mind.

The Beginningless, Uncircumscribable God Who made the heavens in His wisdom prepares a living Heaven. The glorious Theotokos, she who will contain Him Who the heavens cannot contain, is born on this day.

Faithful Joachim and Anna are blessed and the source of the sanctification for all mankind is born. This infant is set for the renewal of our first parents, for she will give birth to the new Adam, the God-Man, Jesus Christ. Through her we have a new beginning. Through her the Word will become flesh and live among men.

There are many today who wish to reduce the message of Christianity to a philosophical maxim of doing good unto one’s neighbor. Most assuredly our Christ teaches us to love our neighbor as our self; but the message of Christianity is much more than this. God became Man that through union with Him, by Holy Baptism and the Eucharist, man participates in God. Mankind is called to deification through union with Christ and we trace this blessing back to a small child who was born on this day. We are all called to be co-workers with God for our own salvation, but who in the history of the world can be compared to this small child that is born today. Our glorious Lady, the Most Holy Theotokos, was foreordained by God to be a singular helper for our salvation. She was chosen to be a rational Temple of God, sanctified beyond compare by the indwelling of the God-Man, Christ. Her life was a life of constant remembrance of God, a state of passionless love for her Son and God that was filled with the grace of the All Holy Spirit.

As the Archangel Gabriel said, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee…” (Luke 1: 35).

This overshadowing was an indelible union with her Son and God. When one considers these things one cannot but sigh regarding the foolish statements of the Protestants who simply wish to regard the chosen Vessel of the Uncontainable One as just another woman. For thinking people, the exalted place of our Lady the Theotokos is found in the scriptures.

“For He hath looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For the Mighty One hath done great things to me, and holy is His name” (Luke 1:48-49).

And on this day the Holy Church offers a sweet command to all believing Christians to call the Most Holy Theotokos blessed and to celebrate the great mystery of our salvation with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Let us speak the praises our most glorious Lady and let us also resolve to imitate her by struggling to be co-workers with God for our salvation and the salvation of those whose lives we touch.

O Most Holy Theotokos, we are in most difficult times. Free us from spiritual error, heresy and the many scandals that have come upon the Church. We entreat thee to grant consolation to the afflicted and repentance to the erring. Be our Protectress so that we might be faithful as thou wast faithful to thy Son and God so that we might stand without condemnation at the last day. Amen.