Virgin Mary – Page 5

Tender Mercy

Icon of the Virgin Mary, Theotokos St. Sophia Church, Canada

The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection of mankind. How many churches there are in the world dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her. ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

How Can I Hold Thee?

Detail from Icon in the Benaki Museum – Greece 2017

St. Luke 2: 22-40 describes the Feast of the Presentation of the Infant Jesus Into the Temple. (February 15/2)

When Jesus was forty days old, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph the Betrothed brought Christ to the temple, in order to fulfill the law and dedicate Him to God.

The Orthodox Christian tradition of Churching a mother on her return to church with her child for a blessing, 40 days after the birth of the baby, comes from the Jewish rite observed in this feast.

One of the many beautiful hymns written by 9th Century female saint, St. Kassiani:

“How can I hold Thee as a Child,
Thou, who holdest everything together?
How do I bring Thee to the temple,
Thou, who art beyond goodness?
How do I deliver Thee into the arms of the elder,
Thou, who sitteth in the bosom of the Father?
How dost Thou endure purification,
Thou, who purifieth the whole corrupt nature?”
So sayeth the Virgin, the temple, who containeth God –
Marvelling at Thy great condescension, O Christ.

Since 450 AD, church candles are also blessed on this day, because of elder St. Simeon’s reference to Christ as a Light of revelation to the Gentiles. (Candlemas)

Shine

What a beautiful day God has provided for us!

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. ~ Isaiah 60:1

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. ~ Psalm 31:16

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. ~ Psalm 67:1

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. ~ Psalm 80:1

Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. ~ Psalm 80:3

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. ~ Psalm 119:135

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. ~Proverbs 4:18

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ~ James 1:17

Before the dawn, Mary and the women came and found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They heard the angelic voice: “Why do you seek among the dead as a man the One who is Everlasting Light? Behold the clothes in the grave! Go and proclaim to the world: The Lord is risen!” He has slain death, as He is the Son of God, saving the race of men. ~ Paschal Hypakoe

Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! The Glory of the Lord has shone on you! Exalt now and be glad, O Zion! Be radiant, O Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your Son! ~ Paschal Hymn to the Theotokos

Happy Feast Day!

Today is the ancient and joyful Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple!

St. Gregory Palamas shares a beautiful contemplation:

When the Mother of God entered into the Holy of Holies, the time of preparation and testing of the old Covenant came to an end, and today we keep the feast of the betrothal of God to human nature. When the Church rejoices and exhorts all the friends of God for their part to enter into the temple of their heart, there to make ready for the coming of the Lord by silence and prayer, withdrawing from the pleasures and cares of this world.

Wishing you a most blessed day…

Today is the Prelude of God’s Good Will!

Feast Day of the Annunciation

May Thy Light shine in my thoughts; may they be illumined by Thy rays and may Thy magnificent radiance gladden them, for Thou art the sun that radiates all.

~ St. Ephraim the Syrian, Spiritual Psalter

Today, the sun shone extra brightly on this beautiful feast of the Annunciation, celebrating the Archangel Gabriel’s Good News to the Virgin Mary, that she would give birth to the Son of God.

Good news comes in many forms. It can be surprising or hoped for, but it’s always welcome and appreciated.

During the current world pandemic and the safety laws for physical distancing ourselves from each other, the normal routines of our daily lives have vanished almost overnight. Little in the world seems familiar.

Now is the time to especially remember a great consolation – that we are never deprived of God, because God is always right here, right now, within us.

True, we may be temporarily isolated, and physically apart from each other, but we are never alone. We remain connected with each other through the Holy Spirit; embraced by God’s enduring love, compassion, forgiveness and great mercy.

This is permanent good news!

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come; Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 8:38-39

Jesus Christ remains the same, yesterday, today and forever. ~Hebrews 13:8

Thank you Anastasia for sharing this beautiful photo of your icon corner today.