Слово на день Благовещения Пресвятой Богородицы. Святого Анастасия, патриарха Антиохийского

What does the coming of the great Gabriel to earth mean? Didn't he come for us again? What hidden mysteries of God does he serve? - Of course, not small, since this Archangel fulfills truly wondrous commands. Great things are entrusted to him, and no one else can well understand what he proclaims: he is only entrusted with the ineffable treasures of the wisdom of God, and through him the depth of His unsearchable judgments becomes clear. He once came to us to admonish Daniel, the man of desires (Dan. 9:23), to reveal to him the succession of kingdoms and the end of the world, to explain the resurrection, to announce the judgment given to each according to his deeds, and to reveal the revelation of the future. He came again, preaching to his father about the wondrous birth of the Divine Forerunner (Luke 1:8) and announcing to him the union of people with God, through the mediation of his son. You who are worthy to believe the Scripture, note that the one proclaimed by the Scripture has appeared, that the barren give birth, the old have children, babies play in the womb, and the priest is condemned to silence for unbelief. Each of the holy angels is entrusted with something of their own. The most important thing is entrusted to Gabriel alone: ​​he is entrusted with the task of announcing the seedless conception of God in the womb of the virgins, the assistance of the Holy Spirit in the birth - and, at the command of Him who is God and Father above all (Rom. 9:5), to greet the Virgin with the words: Rejoice, full of grace: the Lord is with you (Luke 1:28)! O beneficent and Divine voice! Oh, immeasurable philanthropy and goodness! Oh, truly angelic service! Blessed is the Virgin who has been worthy of such words, or rather, who has been worthy to serve such a cause! Having conceived without a husband and given birth unskillfully, You alone remained Mother and Virgin. Conception did not deprive You of your purity, Christmas did not violate Your virginity, You kept the seal of virginity unharmed even after Christmas. Like a child, You nourished Him with milk, Who gives food to all flesh (Ps. 35:25); like a child, You drew to Your breast the One who gives birth to milk for the nourishment of babies. For You became not the Mother of an ordinary man or some prophet, or one in whom God dwells, but the true Mother of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Who will proclaim the mighty powers of the Lord? Whose ears will accommodate, and what word will be worthy of interpreting what we hear? Before You, wives heard: in illness, give birth to children (Gen. 3:16), - and this immutable Divine command was fulfilled for everyone. Now, after You, wives will hear: rejoice (Matthew 28:9), having the basis of joy in the One of Grace among the virgins, in the Pure, Immaculate, Holy Mother of God Mary. Архангел благовестил об этом Деве, и одновременно с его словами вселился в девственную утробу Единородный Сын Божий. The womb contained Him whom the whole sky cannot contain. For our sake, Sy became a baby above us. Постепенно возрастало, усосершаясь телесно, всесовершенное Слово Божие, нося всяческая глаголом силы Своея ( Евр. 1:3 ). The Creator of times, existing from eternity, received a beginning in time. The Creator of men became man. Единородный Сын Божий получил Матерь из человеческого рода, приняв от Нее плоть, которая – одного естества с нашею. But our word is inexpressive for miracles, and a mortal tongue cannot properly proclaim the great deeds of God. Stand, most zealous and loudest of the prophets, Isaiah; appear and teach us the greatness of God; sing with the Spirit what has been accomplished; commanded that what was being proclaimed be heard; praise the Enlightener of those whom He wants; with a foreshadowing confirm the incredible. “Behold, the Virgin will conceive in her womb,” he says, “and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Immanuel (Is. 7:14). Sing us, O Prophet, a song after this doxology: O Lord my God, I will glorify Thee, I will glorify Thy name, for Thou hast done wonderful works, the ancient counsel is true: let it be done, O Lord (Isa. 25:1). What kind of ancient advice is this from God and the Father? – Спасение всех нас. For He who gave us existence, did not He give us well-being, calling His creation to its former home and to keep the commandment, through which we have the promise of endless life, which we have lost, in all justice, for non-observance of the commandment? The divine and grace-filled Virgin is a ladder ascending to heaven, the door of heaven, access to incorruption, the unity of people with God! With you we will finish our word in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom and with whom be glory and dominion to the Father, with the Most Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen 141. See Galland. Biblioth. veterum patrum, tom. XII. Uenetiis. 1778. p. p. 262–263; compare "Moscow Church Directory" 1899 No. 12, countries. 155–156. You might be interested in: