Homily I on Saint Mary the Mother of God
Homilia I de sancta Maria deipara
Titles and Typologies of the Virgin Mary§1
1Every recognizing tongue fittingly greets the Virgin as the God-bearer, imitating the power of Gabriel, the chief of the angels.
One says to her, 'Rejoice!' while another cries out, 'Lord from you,' because the Lord, having been born from her, appeared to the human race in the flesh.
One calls her the Mother of Light; another, a Star of life; another proclaims her a Throne for God; another, a Temple of heaven more magnificent. Another names her an incorruptible, fruitful, and uncultivated Garden; a well-clustered, flourishing, and untouched Vine; a pure Thyrsus; a stainless Dove; a Cloud receiving the rain without corruption; a Ship whose pearl outshines the sun; a Metal from which a stone comes forth that covers the whole earth without being hewn by anyone; a vessel of fortune, full and needing no pilot; and a treasure that enriches.
Others, in a similar manner, call her a speechless Lamp touching from herself, or an Ark of Noah, wider and more pleasant and more glorious.
That was an ark of animals, but this is an ark of life.
That was an ark of perishable animals, but this is an ark of imperishable life.
That bore Noah, but this bore the maker of Noah.
That was built two or three stories high, but this is the fullness of the whole Trinity, since the Spirit descended, the Father overshadowed, and the Son tabernacled while being carried in her womb.
'For the Holy Spirit will come upon you,' he says, 'and the power of the Most High will overshadow you' (Luke 1:35).
Therefore, even that which is being born shall be called the holy Son of God. Do you see how immense the dignity of the Mother of God is, being a virgin.
For the only-begotten Son of God, the Maker of the world, was carried as an infant from her; he remade Adam, sanctified Eve, abolished the curse, opened the paradise, and secured the seal of the womb.
Both aspects are most appropriate and according to the Word.
For he opened the paradise because he was about to let in a robber and to lead all the heirs of the kingdom into it.
He secured the seal of the womb; for God and the Word, existing as the one becoming flesh, had no need of a door for entrance or for exit.
To you, O Virgin, the prophets distribute their praises, and each of the theophoric prophets speaks of the many mysteries of wonders set upon you.
One calls you the Rod of Jesse, so that the unhurt and unbending nature of your virginity might be signaled.
Another calls you a Burning Bush, which burns but is not consumed, so that the flesh of the Only-begotten and the Virgin, the Mother of God, might be signaled.
For the fire burned and was not consumed, because having given birth without opening the womb, he took the child and, without destroying the womb, brought out the infant and left the belly sealed, making full...
Greek · §1
Homilia i de sancta Maria deipara (homilia 5) Ησυχίου, πρεσβυτέρου Ἱεροσολύμων, εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Μαρίαν τὴν θεοτόκον 1 Πᾶσα μὲν εὐγνώμων γλῶττα τὴν παρθένον εἰκότως καὶ θεο τόκον ἀσπάζεται καὶ τὸν Γαβριὴλ μιμεῖται τὸν ἄρχοντα τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς δύναμιν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν αὐτῇ χαίρειν λέγει, ὁ δὲ «Κύριος ἐκ σοῦ» προσφωνεῖ, διὰ τὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς τεχθέντα καὶ μετὰ σαρκὸς τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπιφανέντα κύριον. Οὗτος αὐτὴν Μητέρα φωτὸς ἐπονομάζει, ἐκεῖνος Ἀστέρα ζωῆς, ἄλλος Θρόνον προσαγορεύει θεοῦ, ἄλλος Ναὸν οὐρανοῦ μείζονα, ἕτερος Καθέδραν τῆς τῶν χερουβικῶν καθέδρας οὐκ ἐλάττονα, ἕτερος πάλιν Κῆπον ἄσπορον, εὔφορον, ἀγεώργητον, Ἄμπελον εὔβοτρυν, εὐθαλῆ, ἀψηλάφητον, Τρυγόνα καθαράν, Περιστερὰν ἀμίαντον, Νεφέλην τὸν ὑετὸν χωρὶς φθορᾶς συλλαμβάνουσαν, Πήραν ἧς ὁ μαργαρίτης τοῦ ἡλίου λαμπρότερος, Μέταλλον ἐξ οὗ ὁ λίθος ὅλην καλύπτων τὴν γῆν οὐδενὸς αὐτὸν λατομοῦντος προέρχεται, Ὁλ κάδα φόρτου γέμουσαν καὶ κυβερνήτου μὴ χρῄζουσαν, Θησαυρὸν πλουτοποιόν. Ἄλλοι δὲ ὁμοίως ἄστομον Λυχνίαν ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς ἅπτουσαν, Κιβωτὸν τῆς τοῦ Νῶε πλατυτέραν, εὐμηκεστέραν, ἐν δοξοτέραν· ἐκείνη ζῴων κιβωτός, αὕτη δὲ ζωῆς· ἐκείνη ζῴων φθαρτῶν, αὕτη δὲ ἀφθάρτου ζωῆς· ἐκείνη τὸν Νῶε, αὕτη δὲ τοῦ Νῶε τὸν ποιητὴν ἐβάστασεν· ἐκείνη διώροφα καὶ τριώροφα ἐκέκτητο, αὕτη δὲ ὅλον τῆς Τριάδος τὸ πλήρωμα, ἐπειδήπερ καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐπεδήμει καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐπεσκίασε καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἐνεσκήνου κυοφορούμενος· «Πνεῦμα γὰρ ἅγιον», φησίν, «ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι. ∆ιὸ καὶ τὸ γεννώμενον ἅγιον κληθήσεται υἱὸς θεοῦ.» Ὁρᾷς ὅσον τὸ τῆς θεοτόκου παρ θένου καὶ πηλίκον ἀξίωμα. Ὁ γὰρ μονογενὴς υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ τοῦ κόσμου ποιητής, ὡς βρέφος παρ' αὐτῆς ἐβαστάζετο, καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀνέπλασε καὶ τὴν Εὔαν ἡγίασε καὶ κατήργει τὸν δρά κοντα καὶ τὸν παράδεισον ἤνοιγε καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα τῆς γαστρὸς ἠσφαλίζετο. Εἰκότως σφόδρα καὶ κατὰ λόγον, ἑκάτερον· τὸν γὰρ παράδεισον ἤνοιγεν, ἐπειδὴ λῃστὴν εἰσφέρειν καὶ πάντας εἰς αὐτὸν χειραγωγεῖν τοὺς κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας ἤμελλε. Τὴν σφραγῖδα τῆς γαστρὸς ἠσφαλίζετο, θεὸς καὶ Λόγος ὑπάρχων ὁ σαρκούμενος οὐδαμῶς θύρας πρὸς τὴν εἴσοδον ἢ τὴν ἔξοδον ἔχρῃζε. 2 Σοὶ μὲν οὖν, ὦ παρθένε, τοὺς ἐπαίνους οἱ προφῆται μερί ζονται, καὶ λέγει τῶν θεοφόρων ἕκαστος ὅσα τῶν θαυμάτων ἐπι στεύθη μυστήρια. Καὶ ὁ μέν σε Ῥάβδον Ἰεσσαὶ καλεῖ, ἵνα τὸ ἄτρωτον καὶ ἀκαμπὲς τῆς παρθενίας αἰνίξηται. Ὁ δὲ Βάτῳ παραβάλ λει καιομένῃ καὶ μὴ κατακαιομένῃ, ἵνα τὴν σάρκα τοῦ μονογε νοῦς καὶ τὴν παρθένον τὴν θεοτόκον αἰνίξηται· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐκαί ετο καὶ οὐ κατεκαίετο, ἐπειδήπερ ἔτεκε καὶ τὴν γαστέρα οὐκ ἤνοιξεν, συνέλαβε καὶ τὴν μήτραν οὐκ ἔφθειρεν, ἐξήγαγε τὸ βρέφος καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν ἐσφραγισμένην κατέλιπεν, ἐχορήγησε
Mary's Miraculous Conception§2
2The Virgin Mary kept her breasts untouched and nursed a child without knowing the child's father. She became a mother without becoming a bride, a remarkable and unprecedented event. A son was being raised, and yet, a father was not found. The field was bearing fruit, but the fruit had no farmer to tend to it. The beast gave birth, but it did not receive seed. A river was flowing, and its source was closed from everywhere, signifying that Mary had become a mother without suffering the things that mothers normally experience. She gave birth like a woman, but she was not corrupted like a woman. Her pregnancy was according to the law of nature, as she waited for the appointed time of childbirth. However, her conception was contrary to the law of nature. You introduced the king, with the doors closed, but again you led him out. For neither when he was being conceived nor when he was being born did the king of glory open the doors of your womb or loosen the bonds of your virginity. The bridegroom has called you 'a garden enclosed' and 'a fountain sealed', for you have remained untouched by the forces of corruption and decay. The flower that has blossomed from the rod of Jesse presents itself to humanity in all its purity, cultivated by the pure and unmixed Spirit. You are a fountain sealed, for the river of life that flows from you has filled the world, yet no one has been able to draw from your fountain. David, inspired by you, continues to sing your praises, calling out to the Lord to arise and take his rest (Psalm 132:8). This is not a call for the Lord to separate himself from the Father, but rather to fulfill the plan that was ordained for him before the ages. The Lord must arise to raise the fallen, to straighten the bent, and to take possession of his rightful inheritance, which has been tyrannized by the enemy until now. He must arise to take his rest, which he has determined to take on earth.
Greek · §2
γάλα καὶ τοὺς μασθοὺς ἀψηλαφήτους ἐφύλαξεν, ἐβάστασε παιδίον καὶ τοῦ παι δίου πατέρα οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν, ἐγένετο μήτηρ καὶ οὐκ ἐγένετο νύμφη. Υἱὸς ἐτρέφετο καὶ πατὴρ οὐχ ηὑρίσκετο· ὁ ἀγρὸς ἐκαρποφόρει καὶ ὁ καρπὸς γεωργὸν οὐκ ἐκέκτητο, θέρος ἀπέδωκε καὶ σπόρον οὐκ ἐδέξατο· ποταμὸς ἔτρεχε καὶ ἡ πηγὴ πανταχόθεν ἐκέ κλειστο, εἰς ἔνδειξιν ὅτι καὶ μήτηρ ἐγένου καὶ τὰ μητέρων οὐκ ἔπαθες· ἔτεκες ὡς γυνὴ καὶ οὐκ ἐφθάρης ὡς γυνή· κατὰ νόμον ἐκυοφόρεις τῆς φύσεως, ἐπειδὴ τὸν τεταγμένον καιρὸν τῶν ὠδίνων ἀνέμενες· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ συνέλαβες παρὰ νόμον τῆς φύσεως. Ἕτερός σε Πύλην κεκλεισμένην, ἐν ἀνατολαῖς δὲ κειμένην προσηγόρευσε καὶ τὸν βασιλέα, τῶν θυρῶν κεκλει σμένων, εἰσάγουσαν. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐκφέρουσαν 1 Πύλην σε κέ κληκεν, ἐπειδὴ θύρα τοῦ παρόντος βίου τῷ μονογενεῖ γέγονας, Πύλην ἐν ἀνατολαῖς κειμένην, ἐπειδὴ «τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν τὸ φωτίζον πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον» ἐκ τῆς σῆς γαστρὸς καθάπερ ἔκ τινος παστάδος βασιλικῆς προέρχε ται. Σὺ τὸν βασιλέα, τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, εἰσήγαγες, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἐξήγαγες· οὔτε γὰρ συλλαμβανόμενος, οὔτε ὅλως τικτόμε νος ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης τὰς θύρας τῆς σῆς μήτρας ἠνέῳξεν, οὔτε τῆς παρθενίας τοὺς συνδέσμους ἐχαύνωσεν. Σὲ «Κῆπον κεκλεισμένον» ὠνόμασε καὶ «Πηγὴν ἐσφραγισμένην» ὁ ἐκ σοῦ νυμφίος, προεῖπεν ἐν τοῖς Ἄσμασι «Κῆπον κεκλεισμένον», ἐπειδὴ σοῦ μὲν δρεπάνη φθορᾶς ἢ τρύγητος οὐχ ἥψατο, ἄνθος δὲ τὸ ἐκ τῆς ῥάβδου τοῦ Ἰεσσαὶ καθαρῶς τῷ γένει τῶν ἀν θρώπων καὶ καθαρῶς παρίστησιν, ὑπὸ μόνου γεωργηθέν σοι τοῦ καθαροῦ καὶ ἀκηράτου Πνεύματος· «Πηγὴν ἐσφραγισμέ νην», ὅτι ποταμὸς ζωῆς ἐκ σοῦ προελθὼν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐ πλήρωσεν, ἀλλὰ κλάδος γαμικὸς τὴν σὴν πηγὴν οὐκ ἤντλησε. 3 Περὶ σοῦ ∆αυὶδ τὸν ἐκ σοῦ κιθαρίζων οὐ παύεται· «Ἀνά στηθι, κύριε, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου, σὺ καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ ἁγιά σματός σου.» «Ἀνάστηθι»· Πόθεν; Ἐκ τῶν κόλπων τοῦ Πατρός, οὐχ ἵνα χωρισθῇς τοῦ Πατρός–τοῦτο γὰρ οὐ θέμις ἢ νοεῖσθαι ἢ λέγεσθαι–, ἵνα δὲ τὴν οἰκονομίαν πράξῃς ἥτις ἄνωθέν σοι πρὸ αἰώνων καὶ πρὸ τῶν γενεῶν προώριστο. «Ἀνά στηθι», ἵνα τοὺς πεσόντας ἐγείρῃς, ἵνα τοὺς σκελισθέντας ὀρ θώσῃς, ἵνα τὸ σὸν ἀναλάβῃς κτῆμα, παρὰ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τυραννούμενον. «Ἀνάστηθι, κύριε, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου», ἣν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὥρισας
Emmanuel§3
3You have set your dwelling in Bethlehem—the cave, the manger, the swaddling bands—yet you do not seek rest in heaven, for you yourself are the very rest of all creation. On earth, for our sake, you endure the sufferings of the flesh: hunger, thirst, and toil. But you are the bread of life for the hungry, and to the thirsty you are the living river of incorruptibility; you labor in the dry places, bearing weariness far from the restless waves of the sea.
Arise, Lord, enter your rest, you and the ark of your holiness. The virgin, the God-bearer, stands plainly revealed: if you are a pearl, she is surely the ark; since you are the sun, she must be called heaven; since you are the unfading flower, she is the plant of incorruptibility, the paradise of immortality.
This is the virgin Isaiah foretold, proclaiming beforehand from God: 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.' Indeed, 'Behold the virgin'—who is she? She is the woman worthy among women, the virgin set apart, the noble adornment of our nature, the glory of our dust, who has delivered Eve from shame and Adam from peril, who has broken the dragon’s pride.
No desire’s smoke touched her, no worm of sweet pleasure harmed her. 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb.' And when we ask the prophet whence this comes, he answers: 'I do not speak from myself; this has been guarded by Gabriel.' Though many marvel at the God-bearer’s wonders, many of her signs still lie untold.
But I have believed in the offspring of the ever-virgin, Micah the place in which the wonder was done, David the time; for he himself 'From the womb before the morning star I begot you' placed in the prophecy of the Psalms; Gabriel therefore will say the whence; for he comes down from heaven, he upon this very thing is sent to the virgin, he in the time of the offspring comes along and necessarily is trusted to interpret the substance of the offspring; if indeed also from me you wish to learn, the following of the prophecy come near; and she will bear a son and they will call his name Emmanuel; what then is Emmanuel? 'God with us.' Therefore not God from marriage and corruption is conceived, and from a man and conjugal union to be begotten or incarnated.
Greek · §3
καὶ εἰς τὴν Βηθλεὲμ ἔταξας, τὸ σπήλαιον καὶ τὴν φάτνην καὶ τὰ σπάργανα· ἐν οὐρανοῖς γὰρ οὐ χρῄ ζεις ἀναπαύσεως, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀνάπαυσις ὑπάρχεις ὅλης τῆς κτί σεως· ἐπὶ γῆς δὲ δι' ἡμᾶς τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς πάσχεις· ἢ γὰρ οὐχὶ καὶ πείνης καὶ δίψης καὶ κόπου ἠνέσχου; Ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ πεινῶν ἄρτος ὑπάρχεις ζωῆς, καὶ διψῶν αὐτὸς εἶ τῶν διψώντων παρά κλησις–ποταμὸς γὰρ ἀφθαρσίας καθέστηκας–, καὶ κοπιῶν τοῖς περιπάτοις τῆς ξηρᾶς πεζεύεις κόπου χωρὶς τῆς θαλάσσης τὰ κύματα. «Ἀνάστηθι, κύριε, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου, σὺ καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ ἁγιάσματός σου»· ἡ παρθένος, ἡ θεοτόκος εὔ δηλον. Εἰ γὰρ σὺ μαργαρίτης, εἰκότως ἐκείνη κιβωτός· ἐπειδὴ σὺ τυγχάνεις ἥλιος, οὐρανὸς ἀναγκαίως ἡ παρθένος κληθήσεται· ἐπειδὴ σὺ ἄνθος τυγχάνεις ἀμάραντον, ἄρα ἡ παρθένος ἀφθαρ σίας φυτόν, ἀθανασίας παράδεισος. 4 Εἰς ἣν Ἠσαΐας ταῦτα θεόθεν ἀρτίως προανεφώνησε λέγων· «Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν καὶ καλέ σουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ.» «Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος»· Ποία; –Ἡ τῶν γυναικῶν ἔγκριτος, ἡ τῶν παρθένων ἐξαίρετος, τὸ σεμνὸν τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως ἐγκαλλώπισμα, τὸ τοῦ πηλοῦ τοῦ ἡμετέρου καύχημα, ἡ τῆς αἰσχύνης τὴν Εὔαν καὶ τῆς ἀπειλῆς τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀπαλλάξασα, ἡ τὴν παρρησίαν ἀποτεμοῦσα τοῦ δρά κοντος· ἧς καπνὸς ἐπιθυμίας οὐχ ἥψατο, οὐδὲ σκώληξ αὐτὴν ἡδυ παθείας ἔβλαψεν. «Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται»· Πόθεν, ὦ προφῆτα; «Οὐ λέγω», φησί· «τοῦτο γὰρ τῷ Γαβριὴλ πεφύλακται. Πολλοὶ τῆς θεοτόκου διαιροῦνται τὰ θαύματα, πολλὰ δὲ ὅμως καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν παραλέλειπται· πλὴν ἐγὼ τὸν τόκον τῆς ἀειπαρθένου πεπίστευμαι, Μιχαίας τὸν χῶρον ἐν ᾧ τὸ θαῦμα πέπρακ ται, ∆αυὶδ τὸν καιρόν· αὐτὸς γὰρ τό «Ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε» τῇ τῶν ψαλμῶν προφητείᾳ ἐνέθηκεν. Γαβριὴλ τοίνυν ἐρεῖ τὸ πόθεν· ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατέρχεται, ἐκεῖνος ἐπ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν παρθένον πέμπεται, ἐκεῖνος ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ τόκου παραγίνεται καὶ τοῦ τόκου τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἀναγκαίως ἑρμηνεῦσαι πιστεύεται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ παρ' ἐμοῦ μανθάνειν θέλεις, τὰ ἑξῆς τῆς προφητείας ἔπελθε· Καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ.» Τί δέ ἐστιν Ἐμμανουήλ; «Μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ θεός.» Μὴ τοίνυν θεὸς ἀπὸ γάμου καὶ φθορᾶς συλλαμ βάνεται, καὶ ἐξ ἀνδρὸς καὶ κοίτης τεχθῆναι ἢ σαρκωθῆναι
Incarnation§4
4The virgin's question to Gabriel, 'How will this be for me, since I do not know a man?' (Luke 1:34), reveals her astonishment and perplexity at the angel's message.
She is overwhelmed by the wonder of it all and is struggling to comprehend the extraordinary things being said to her.
Her innocence and purity are evident in her words, as she protests that she has not touched the flower of her prime and has kept the temple of her body uncorrupted.
The angel's immediate response, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you,' (Luke 1:35), provides the answer to the virgin's question.
This response highlights the miraculous nature of the conception and the role of the Holy Spirit in it.
The angel's words also emphasize the virgin's purity and her suitability to bear the Only-Begotten Son of God, who wished to take on the form of a servant from her without corruption.
You must not separate the mysteries that follow, for in a cave, you give birth to the creator of all creation, and in a manger, you sit with the one who sits on the cherubim, without a place in the inn, yet you are the mother of the king of those above and below.
For he willingly becomes poor out of you, so that he may also humble the rich, and become a model of endurance and a teacher of gratitude for the poor.
He willingly places himself in the manger, so that the animal-like ones may run to him and find the Logos sitting in the manger, and take from him the rational dignity, so that they may find bread having expected straw, and eat the true bread, the food of life, the dinner of light, the nourishment of joy, and the sweetness of incorruptibility, which gives the knowledge of the kingdom, the pledge of adoption, the lot of the heavens, and the communion of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greek · §4
2 δύ ναται; Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἐνεργείας θεοῦ, ἐξ ἐπιφοιτήσεως ὑψί στου, ἐκ παρουσίας Πνεύματος. 5 Τοιγαροῦν ἡνίκα ἡ παρθένος πρὸς τὸν Γαβριὴλ ἔλεγε· «Πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω;» τουτέστιν· «Ἐκ πλήττει με τὸ θαῦμα, καταπλήττει με τὸ ῥῆμα», καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἀγ γέλου χρηματισμὸς τὴν παρθένον ἐξίστησιν. «Θαυμαστὰ λέγεις, ἐμοὶ δὲ διὰ τὸ ξένον ὕποπτα. ∆έδοικα τοῦ εὐαγγελισμοῦ τὸ και νόν, θορυβοῦμαι πρὸς τὸ λίαν τῶν λεγομένων ἄηθες. "3Πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω;"3 Πῶς ἔσομαι μή-τηρ, μὴ γενομένη νύμφη; Οὐκ ἔφθειρα τὸ τῆς ὥρας ἄνθος, τὸν ζωστῆρα τῆς παρθενίας οὐκ ἔλυσα, τὸν δεσμὸν τῆς μήτρας οὐκ ἐχαύνωσα, τὴν σφραγῖδα τῆς γαστρὸς οὐ παρέλυσα.» Ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος παραχρῆμα ἐπήγαγε· «Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι» τουτέστιν· «Εἰ ἐγίνωσκες ἄνδρα, οὐκ ἂν ἔτεκες θεόν, δούλου μορφὴν λαβεῖν ἐκ σοῦ διὰ σὲ χωρὶς φθορᾶς εὐδοκήσαντα, οὐκ ἂν ὄργανον ἐγένου τῆς τοῦ πάντα παραγαγόντος σαρκώσεως. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καθαρὰ τυγχάνεις κοίτης γαμικῆς, ἐπειδὴ τὸν ναὸν ἄφθαρτον καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ῥύπου παντὸς ἐλευθέραν ἐτήρησας, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐπιδημεῖ σοι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐπισκιάζει καὶ μετὰ σαρκὸς ἐκ σοῦ ὁ Μονογενὴς τίκτεται. Σὺ οὖν μηδαμῶς διακριθῇς τὰ ἑξῆς μυστήρια, μὴ διακριθῇς ἐν σπηλαίῳ τίκτουσα τὸν ὅλης τῆς κτίσεως δημιουργόν, μὴ διακριθῇς ἐν φάτνῃ καθίζουσα τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν νώτων τῶν χερουβὶμ καθεζόμενον, οὐκ ἔχουσα τόπον ἐν τῷ καταλύματι καὶ μήτηρ βασιλέως τῶν ἄνω καὶ τῶν κάτω τυγχάνουσα.» 6 Ἑκὼν γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ πτωχεύει, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους χαλι-νώσῃ, καὶ τοῖς πτωχοῖς ὑπόθεσις ὑπομονῆς καὶ διδάσκαλος εὐχαριστίας γένηται. Ἑκὼν ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης τίθεται, ἵνα οἱ κτηνώδεις προσδράμωσι καὶ τὸν Λόγον εὕρωσιν ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης καθήμενον, ἵνα ἀναλάβωσιν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ λογικὸν ἀξίωμα, ἵνα σῖτον εὕρωσι προσδοκήσαντες ἄχυρα, ἵνα ὡς κτήνη προσδράμωσι δράγματα κριθῆς ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης εὑρεῖν οἰόμενοι καὶ τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἀληθινὸν φάγωσι, τὴν τροφὴν τῆς ζωῆς, τὸ δεῖπνον τοῦ φωτός, τὴν βρῶσιν τῆς χαρᾶς, τῆς ἀφθαρσίας τὸ γλύκασμα, ἐξ οὗ τῆς βασιλείας ἡ γνῶσις, τῆς υἱοθεσίας ὁ ἀρραβών, ὁ τῶν οὐρανῶν κλῆρος, ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 3