Слово на Введение Пресвятой Девы Марии во храм. Георгия, митрополита Никомидийского

The present triumph presents us with a wonderful beginning to the subject of speech. Therefore, leaving behind the burdens of the flesh, let us rise on the wings of thought and let us accompany with a good spirit the pure Young Lady who hastens to enter the Holy of Holies. Let us turn our gaze to today's celebration of the Entry of the Virgin Mary to God and, as much as possible, explore its secret beauty - although it is impossible to see all the joy for what it is. Behold, the Virgin’s parents brought Her to the gates of the church - She, Who was surrounded invisibly on all sides by the Heavenly Powers. Although the angels did not yet know the mystery of the incarnation, but, as servants of the Lord, at His command, they served the Virgin Mary during Her ascension. As visionary spirits, they, of course, saw Her - a precious vessel of virtues - Her, bearing the signs of chaste purity and having a body alien to vices, and they worshiped Her. Then the lamps illuminated the entrance and everything that passed into the church turned into the joy of triumph; then the most soulless bodies rejoiced with the joy common to the angels. Therefore, I, too, must rejoice and cry out to the church with a loud voice: “She is already entering and speaking appropriately. Expand your dwelling place in order to accept the vastness of the visible and invisible creation, light the lamps and illuminate the entrance, so that the source of light flowing from it can be seen. Open your gates and receive inside the mental gates, through which only the Word of God will pass, keeping them unsealed (for although She took the name “door,” she nevertheless retained the name “Virgin,” and, having served the cause, did not destroy the seals of chastity.) Raise the veil in order to separate within the spiritual cover of glory with which the Word of God Himself hid itself; lift up the golden candlestick, through which the seven gifts of the Spirit will be kindled and illuminate the spiritual world. Decorate the Holy of Holies, and receive this most holy tabernacle - the receptacle of the immaterial being that has descended to us - the tabernacle destroyed, but restored by the forefather David. Raise the all-golden altar of incense, on which the Word will bring flesh, filling the whole world with fragrance, on which vices will be burned with fire. disobedience, sinful defilement will be destroyed. Bring in the ark of the shrine, containing within itself the Lawgiver Himself, who will bring this heavenly manna, save human nature from the flood of sin and by His birth free the whole world from destruction. Open the treasury of the New Testament - the finger-written letters with which the Word of God will change the heaviness of the letter of the law into the lightness of the spirit. Take the priestly rod, which will bring forth the unfading flower of the Lord (Isa. 11:1); take a holy land (Ex. 3:5) and desired (Ps. 105:24), from which truth and righteousness will shine (Ps. 84:12). Take this mountain, on which it will be pleasing for the Word to dwell (Ps. 67:17), from which the cornerstone cut off (Dan. 2:34) will crush the image of the enemy. Take the glorious throne, the royal chariot on which the transported Word will come in the flesh to earth: holy Zion, chosen by the Creator and prepared according to foreknowledge before the ages. Enlarge the bed of Solomon, around which sixty mighty men bear (Song of Songs 3:7) - the true prophets who announced His Divine birth. This image was drawn; the tongs of the one who brought coal and cleansed the lips of the prophets (Ps. 6:6–7); a sealed book, which none of the writers of the Scriptures has read except the One who through It Himself is known virginally (Ps. 29:11); the clearest scroll (Ezek. 2:9), in which the Word, which has no form, was depicted in human writing, i.e. becoming like us in everything except sin. This is the Queen standing at the right hand of God. This is the one that rose from Lebanon and surrounded the world with a fragrant balm, which will transform the bitterness of the ancient tree into sweetness, the pleasant smell from whose clothes is fragrant over the whole earth. Receive Her within as a Bride (Song of Songs 4:7-8), Who has incomparable beauty and unspeakable glory, whose excellent splendor obscures the brilliance of the sun. This is a prisoner city (Song of Songs 4:12), into which there is absolutely no access for vicious thoughts, in which the first curse to the world from the tree of tribulation was dried up at the root and in its place blessing blossomed. Truly, this is a source from which the purest waters flow and irrigate the universe, from which flows a river of grace that sanctifies the entire earth. This is the sacred tabernacle, the house of glory, the indissoluble church, the image and sign of which you represent. The rays of grace have already begun to shine. Behold, He who transformed into spirit what was letter. The Renovator is approaching. Therefore, move from the aging law to the ever-living grace of the Word. Why do you stain yourself with the blood of sacrificial animals when the one commanding them rejects them, for the Word says to the Father: you did not desire sacrifice and offering, but you made the body for me (Psalm 39:7; Heb. 10:5). He is coming who will abolish this with His own blood, and who will cleanse nature not from carnal impurity, but from sin. At your doors is liberation: at your gates is the gospel. This was foretold to you by the divine prophets. This was indicated by Isaiah, saying: Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and thou shalt call His name Immanuel (Isa. 7:14). Ezekiel called it the gate of God (Ezek. 44:2); David called it the ark of the sanctuary (Psalm 131:8); It was represented on the mountain to Moses by a bush that burned and did not burn (Ex. 3:3). You are almost like the highest of all visible and invisible creatures. Bring Her inside - the immaculate tabernacle. Without a doubt, She announced the fulfillment of things, you showed their image, and She indicated their very coming. How great is the difference between body and shadow, word and deed: just as much you differ from Her splendor, for you receive respect only from one kind, but She receives the most magnificent glory from all creatures. You show the shadow of God, which remains fleeting, and soon you will have to go bankrupt; It, essentially imbued with the dwelling of the Divine Word, will remain insoluble forever.” This is what, it seems to me, was said to the church when the general sanctuary was brought inside it. The priest Zechariah, who was then performing his turn of ministry, prophetically inspired, rejoiced at the coming of the Virgin, seeing the immeasurable beauty of Her soul hidden under this appearance of a woman. As the Most Pure One grew day by day, the gifts of the Holy Spirit grew in Her. She was with the angels, as Zechariah also learned about. One day, while correcting his service in the sanctuary, he saw someone, strange in appearance, like an angel, talking with Her and serving Her food. Zechariah was very surprised and thought: "What kind of extraordinary and new vision is this? Apparently, an angel speaks to the Virgin; an incorporeal one brings food that nourishes the flesh: by nature, an insubstantial one gives the Virgin something material. The appearance of angels only happens to priests (in order to instill in them what they should and should not do), and then very rarely; and for an angel to come to a girl, and such a young one at that, is extraordinary. If she were married and prayed for the resolution of her infertility, like Anna, I would not be surprised at the vision; but the girl cannot pray for this. An angel always appears to Her, as I see: and this leads me to great surprise, doubt and horror. What does this all mean? What does the Angel come to announce to Her, and what kind of food is it that he brings? Where did it come from and who made it? For angels do not care about our bodily needs. Of course, there were people whom they fed, but even then human hands prepared the food: Daniel was fed by an angel, by command of the Most High; but he took Habakkuk with a basket of bread, so that the strange appearance of an angel and the unusual food would not frighten the one being fed (Dan. 14:34). So the raven who served Elijah acted on the instructions of the angel, bringing food from the ready supply (1 Kings 17:4). Here the Angel himself comes to the Young Lady. It is incomprehensible to me why She was awarded such gifts, such service of disembodied spirits. What does all this mean? She surpasses all former clans in purity of morals. So, will the predictions of the prophets come true over Her? Is it not Her who will fulfill our age-old expectations? Is it not from Her that He who comes to save the human race will take human nature? This mystery has been foretold for a long time, and the Word is looking for One who would serve to fulfill the mystery. Is it not this Virgin, visible to me, who was chosen to be the instrument of the great mystery of the Most High? I believe that in Her lies hidden the immeasurable beauty of chastity, which divine mercy itself exalts and reveals. Oh, how blessed are you, O house of Israel, who have grown such fruit! Oh, how blessed are you, Root of David, who has brought forth a branch on which will blossom the flower of salvation for the world! How glorious is the memory of those who gave birth to You, surpassing all in happiness! and how happy I am, having enjoyed such a spectacle! Now I am exalted above all the saints; I see with my own eyes the beginning of what the former prophets saw in the shadow and image.” So the righteous Zechariah could reflect within himself, seeing this supernatural miraculous appearance of the Virgin. And, truly, it was so. This pure and glorious soul in a living body showed wondrous talents. Imperfect in age, She knew no barriers to virtue and was not restrained by anything from uniting with God. Who has seen, who has heard such an exaltation of the body that it dwells in the saints, is lifted up by the angels and feeds on heavenly food? Carnal hands receive immortal food and through them the pure spirit is satisfied with gifts. Oh, superb purity! Oh, the ascent from adolescence, like a ladder through which the Word came to us in a wondrous descent, through which our mortal abode on earth ascended to heaven! You, man, hearing about the wondrous presence of the Virgin in the church, do not dare to doubt it. Do not try to explore with your mind that which surpasses all understanding; do not wish to compare that which is beyond all comparison. Look at the incredible renewal of nature; see that the very Word of God in an inexpressible way dwells in Her womb, having immaterial food... It was necessary that not only in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle, but also in the very heaven of heaven, the Pure One of heaven should be raised from a very early age; It was necessary that more than one angel should appear to Her, and darkness would rush around. For He whom they cannot behold She carried in her womb in a wondrous way; The One who dresses with light like a robe, She was honored to embrace on Her bosom; She held and carried the One who holds everything in her hands, like a person. Who, contemplating this, does not reflect on the greatness of his nature? Let us become worthy of the Creator's providence. He did not entrust the work of human renewal to angels, but He Himself sent Himself to our insignificance and placed our nature on the Fatherly throne. What can you think of or add to this inexpressible love of humanity? With what praises shall I glorify this unspeakable convergence for us? With what praise shall I praise the Virgin, through whom this return was achieved, in whom the Creator Himself founded His dwelling, on whom the Fatherly council was fulfilled, on whom the All-Holy Spirit rested? O jewel, surpassing in value any gift! Oh, Mother of God, the highest decoration of beautiful things! By this extraordinary birth You restored the darkened beauty of the prototype, turning the birth of sadness into the birth of joy. Through You the human race returned to its home; through You we have received the immortal pleasure of paradise. In You the hopes of the prophets were fulfilled; in You we find the signs of our rebellion. Through You we expect to inherit the kingdom of heaven. You are the helper of our salvation; You are an insurmountable wall. Do not despise, Mother of God, the prayers of those who continually cry out to You. Stretch out your hand to those who trust, help those who are drowning. I pray that many sins do not exceed the immeasurable power of Your mercy, and that the impurity of our deeds does not hinder Your incomparable mercy. By Thy will alone, may our sins receive an easy solution. Nothing stands against Your power; everything obeys Your command. Your Son placed You above the heavens and all creatures and, like the Son, joyfully fulfills Your requests. Relying on this incomparable advantage of Yours, I brought You, O Lady, this fruit of my meager lips. Accept, not expecting deeds, but approving the determination of the spirit. Then, as the All-Good One, having granted forgiveness of sins, grant the kingdom of heaven and make it the property of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: for to them belongs glory, power, honor, and joy now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen 32. See Curs. Compl. Patrolog. Migne, Tom. C, col. 1419–1440; “The Triumphant” – hand-crafted. (IX century) Moscow. Synodal librarian (284–CCLXXI). l.l. 59–66. 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