Похвальная беседа в честь Божией Матери. Преподобного Ефрема Сирина

In great amazement, beloved, will come everyone who reflects on the miracle of how God descended and prepared a dwelling place for Himself in the mother’s womb, how God’s nature took on human flesh and did not disdain to dwell in the womb for nine months, how the womb, being flesh, could carry fire within itself, how the flame dwelt in the weak womb and did not scorch it. Just as the bush at Horeb contained God in flames, so Mary carried Christ in her womb. Through hearing God entered completely into the womb, and from the womb the God-Man came out purely into the world. The Virgin conceived in the womb of God, and was pregnant with the Virgin and barren; and the son of the barren leapt, having met the Fruit of the virgin womb. God creates a new miracle among earthly beings: He Himself is born from one who has not known a husband, and His herald is born not according to the order of nature. He measures the sky by His span, and places Him in a manger along the length of an earthly span. He embraces the sea with His handful, and is born in a den. The heavens are full of His glory, and the manger is filled with His greatness. Moses wanted to see His glory, but could not see it as he would have liked (Ex. 33:18). Now let him come and see her, for she is wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. Man could not then see God and remain alive (Ex. 33:20); now everyone who sees Him will be saved from the second death (Apoc. 20:6). Moses portrayed this mystery because he saw fire in a bush. The Magi saw the fulfillment of the mystery because they saw the light in the shrouds. A voice cried out to Moses from the bush: take the boots from your feet (Ex. 3:5); the star, silently, announced to the Magi to go to the Holy Place. Moses could not see God face to face; the wise men came and saw God in the face of a man. Both dens are similar to each other: and Moses was like the wise men. The listener will say: what is the comparison between Moses, the head of the prophets, and the Magi, the Persian princes? In such doubts, God, the wisest resolver of perplexities, calms him. If He Himself had not chosen the Magi in advance to be His preachers, He would not have accepted gifts from the hands of the unholy. Moses prefigured the mysteries carried out by the Lord. Moses' face was illuminated with light because God was talking to him; and a veil was on his face, because the people could not look at him. Thus, our Lord incarnate covered Himself with a veil of flesh, came out of the womb and appeared; Then the wise men saw Him and brought gifts. A great miracle happened on earth: the Lord of all descended upon it, God became man, the Ancient of Days became a child, the Lord became like a servant, and the Son of Kings became like a poor man. The Highest Nature humbled itself and moved into our nature, and what was alien to His nature, It took upon Itself for the sake of all of us. Who will not be attentive to such a miracle - namely, that God comes to be born? Who would not be amazed when he sees that the Lord of Angels is born? Believe without inquisitiveness and hold firmly, because it really is so. Turn your eyes, beloved, to Mary. So Gabriel comes to Her, and She, testing him, says: How will this happen? The Servant of the Spirit answers Mary that this is not difficult for God, for whom all things are possible. Mary believed what she heard and said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” And then the Word, as He Himself knows, descended and, as He Himself willed, moved, entered Mary and dwelt in Her, and She did not feel it. Without suffering anything, she received Him, and He who filled the universe with Himself remained in Her womb like a baby. He diminished His own image in order to renew the image of the old Adam. When you hear about the birth of God, listen silently and consider with your mind what Gabriel said. Nothing is difficult for the glorious Majesty of God, Who bowed down for our sake and is born among us, and from us. Now Mary has become heaven for us - God’s throne, because the highest Divinity descended into Her and dwelt in Her. In order to exalt us, the Divinity in Her diminished, without, however, diminishing in Its nature. In Her He clothed Himself in a robe for us, so that through Her He might bring salvation to us. On Mary the prophecies of the Prophets and the righteous were fulfilled; from Her light shone for us and dispelled the darkness of paganism. Mary has many names, and it is desirable for me to greet Her with these names. She is the church in which the strong King of kings lived. He does not come out of Her the same way as He entered, because He comes out clothed with flesh. She is also the new heaven, because the King of kings dwelt in Her. He shone in Her and came into the world, borrowing Her image and putting on Her likeness. She is the vine that produced the Cluster. It was not according to the order of nature that She gave this Fruit; Having clothed Her image, the Fruit appeared from Her. She is a source: because living Water flowed out of Her to those who were thirsty, and those who tasted this drink yield a hundredfold fruit. This day is not similar to the original day of the world. On that day the creatures were formed, on this day the earth is renewed and receives blessing for the sake of Adam, for whom it was cursed. Adam and Eve brought death into the world through their fall, but the Lord gave us new life from Mary. Through the serpent, the devil spewed out his poison into Eve’s ears; The Good One bowed His bounties, and through hearing entered into Mary. Through the same door through which death entered, Life also enters, killing death. He who is carried by the Cherubim is carried by Mary's hands; the incomprehensible God is embraced and carried by Mariam. The King, before Whom the Angels, fiery and spiritual beings, tremble, reclines on the Virgin’s breasts; She embraces and kisses Him like a baby. His throne of glory is heaven, and He rests on the lap of Mary. The footstool of His feet is the earth, and He walks on it with the feet of a child. He measures the dust with His handful and walks on it like a baby. Blessed is the man who through His birth has regained his lost glory. Who has ever seen clay serve as clothing for the One who created clay? Who has ever seen fire covered with shrouds? This is how God humbled Himself for the sake of man! This is how much God humbled Himself for the sake of His servant! The slave became proud, and on the advice of the destroyer the devil, he transgressed the commandment; but He who gave the commandment humbled Himself in order to exalt us. Praise be to the supreme Mercy, which descended to the earthly, so that the weak world could be healed by the Physician who appeared among creation. Praise be to Him and to the Father and the Holy Spirit who sent Him, praise at all times, in every place, forever and ever! Amen 133. "Works like the saints of our father Ephraim the Syrian, in Russian translation." Part five. Third edition. Moscow. 1887, 223–228 countries. You might be interested in: