Lives of the Saints
1. THE NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS
The Holy Virgin Mary was born of her aged parents, Joachim and Anna. Her father was of the tribe of David, and her mother of the lineage of Aaron. And thus she was of royal descent through her father and of priestly descent through her mother, thereby prefiguring the One who would be born of her, as both King and High Priest. Her parents had already grown old and had no children. And because of this they were put to shame before people and contrite before God. And in their contrition they prayed to God with weeping, that He would gladden their old age with the gift of a child, just as He had once gladdened the elder Abraham and the aged Sarah by granting them their son Isaac. And God Almighty and All-seeing gladdened them with a joy that far surpassed all their expectations and all their most beautiful dreams. For He gave them not only a daughter but the Mother of God; He illumined them not only with temporal joy but with eternal joy. God gave them but one daughter, who later bore them but one Grandson — but what a Daughter and what a Grandson! Mary full of grace, blessed among women, the temple of the Holy Spirit, the altar of the Living God, the table of heavenly bread, the ark of God's holiness, the tree of the sweetest fruit, the glory of the human race, the praise of womankind, the fountain of virginity and purity — such was the God-given daughter of Joachim and Anna. Born in Nazareth, and after three years brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, from where she returned again to Nazareth, there soon to hear the glad tidings of the holy Archangel Gabriel concerning the birth of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, from her most pure and virginal body.
2. FEAST OF THE HOLY THEOTOKOS OF KALISHTA
In the monastery of the Holy Theotokos near the village of Kalishta, to the west of Struga, the Holy Mother of God has shown her power and mercy through numerous miracles. Many sick people have been miraculously healed, and robbers who plotted to plunder or defile the monastery were harshly punished by an invisible power. In the church there is also a wonder-working icon of the Holy Theotokos, and nearby two healing springs: of Saint Peter and of Saint Ananias. Not far from the main church there is the chapel of Saint Athanasius in a cave.
3. FEAST OF THE ICON OF THE HOLY THEOTOKOS OF POCHAYIV
In the Volhynian province there is the renowned monastery of the Holy Theotokos in Pochayiv, where the Holy Mother of God first appeared around the year 1340 to one of two monks who were practicing asceticism in a cave there. From that time that place became an inexhaustible source of numerous miracles.
“And in their contrition they prayed to God with weeping, that He would gladden their old age with the gift of a child, just as He had once gladdened the elder Abraham and the aged Sarah by granting them their son Isaac.”
Hymn of Praise
O long-desired and long-awaited,
By tears from the Lord, O Virgin, obtained!
A bodily temple thou shalt be of the Most Holy Spirit.
Mother thou shalt be called of the Pre-eternal Word.
The burning bush they called thee,
For the divine fire thou shalt receive in thyself,
Thou shalt burn with fire, yet not be consumed,
Thou shalt bear the golden fruit, and bring it to the world.
Bearer of Him who bears the heavens,
To whom all of heaven raises praise —
A wonder of wonders shall come to pass with thee,
For thou shalt bear heaven, wider than the heavens!
More precious to us, O Virgin, than precious stones,
For thou art to the human race the fountain of salvation;
Therefore let the whole universe glorify thee,
O most holy Virgin, O white dove!
The heavenly King desires to come into this world,
O beautiful gate, through thee He shall pass,
When thou growest, O Virgin, thou shalt bear us Christ,
From thy body the Sun shall shine forth.
“The burning bush they called thee, for the divine fire thou shalt receive in thyself; thou shalt burn with fire, yet not be consumed; thou shalt bear the golden fruit, and bring it to the world.”
Reflection
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite describes the boundless joy, and the outward and inward radiance, and an indescribable fragrance that he felt in the presence of the Holy Theotokos when he visited her in Jerusalem. In his enthusiasm he says that if he had not known the one true God, he would have acknowledged Her, the Holy Virgin Mary, as God. Such a powerful and extraordinary impression did the Holy Virgin make on people even during her bodily life on earth. An incomparably greater power and glory she obtained after her bodily death, when by the will of God she was exalted above the angelic hosts. Her power comes from her unceasing prayer to God for the faithful, for all those who turn to her for help. Saint John of Novgorod, when he with the people prayed to her for help against the enemy army, perceived that she at that very moment was praying to the Lord for them with tears. And Novgorod was miraculously saved. As she was compassionate toward her crucified Son, so the holy Most Pure One is compassionate toward all the afflicted who turn to her for help. It may be said that the whole earth is covered with the miracles of her mercy. In Belgrade there lives to this day a coffeehouse keeper, C. J., from the village of Labunishta beyond Struga, whom his mother, when he was blind, brought to the monastery of Kalishta, where after the prayer of the priest over him before the icon of the Holy Theotokos, he received his sight again. The first monk in Pochayiv saw a pillar of flame from earth to heaven, and in that fiery pillar he saw the Holy Theotokos. She stood upon a stone, and on that spot where she then stood, a healing spring opened, which to this very day helps many who are sick.
“In his enthusiasm he says that if he had not known the one true God, he would have acknowledged Her, the Holy Virgin Mary, as God.”
Contemplation
Contemplate God's wondrous gift to Solomon (I Kings 3), namely:
1. How the Lord appeared to Solomon in Gibeon and asked him what He should give him;
2. How Solomon asked for an understanding heart, that he might judge the people and discern good from evil;
3. How God gave him both what he asked for and what he did not ask for.
“How God gave Solomon both what he asked for and what he did not ask for.”
Homily
on the oneness of will of the Son and the Father
How should these words be understood, brethren? In the way that certain heretics understood them, namely, that the Son is less than the Father and weaker than the Father? No, by no means. The lips that thus interpreted the Lord's words spoke blasphemy. Rather, these words must be understood as our holy Fathers understood them, namely: that the Son is equal to the Father in all things, and that because of Their equality of will and love and wisdom, the Son can do nothing contrary to the will of the Father, nor the love of the Father, nor the wisdom of the Father. So too the Father can do nothing contrary to the Son, nor the Holy Spirit contrary to the Father and the Son. All that the Father wills and loves and thinks, the Son and the Holy Spirit also will and love and think. Harmony incomparable, unity indivisible, being ineffable! It is clear, then, that the Son neither can nor desires to do anything of Himself, on His own, without harmony and unity with the power of the Father and the will of the Father. That this interpretation is correct, the Lord Himself testifies by His further words: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will." Do you see the equality of will and power? That which the Father wills, the Son also wills; that which the Father can do, the Son also can do. Let no one, then, divide the Godhead and bring a curse upon himself. God cannot be divided, and he who attempts to divide the Godhead, diminishing one Person and exalting another, cannot be saved.
O Most Holy Trinity, our God, three in Persons yet one in essence, Life, Light and Love, look upon us and have mercy on us. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do.”