Богородица (Богоматерь)

At that time, God descended to people on earth through the Mother of God, as if through a ladder. “Rejoice, Heavenly Ladder, from whom God descended!” 4. Nowadays, people come to God through the Mother of God, like a bridge. “Rejoice, Moste, who brings those on earth to heaven!” At that time, “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14), but now our flesh overflows with spiritual joy in words, speaking with David: “My heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God” (Ps. 84:3) and in the Mother of God, Who is the Mother of life. At that time, the Holy Spirit descended on the Mother of God and overshadowed Her; now the same Holy Spirit, relentlessly living in the Mother of God, overshadows us who worship with the grace of the Theotokos, like a “blessed-leaved tree.” We, falling to the throne of grace of the Blessed Virgin and repeating the joyful song with sweet-sounding voices, sing: “Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.” Let us sing this song not only with our throat and tongue, but with our mind and spirit (1). The Most Pure Virgin had the virtue of obedience, was filled with the grace of God... She showed obedience when God the Father called to Her with a secret message to her heart, speaking in the words of the Holy Spirit: “Hear, O Daughter, and see, and incline Your ear, and forget Your people and the house of Your father” (Ps. 44:11). And She answered this with the words of Her forefather David: “My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready” (Ps. 57:8). When Archangel Gabriel announced to Her the conception of the Son of God, She answered with humility: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). And who can express in words what kind of grace of God She was filled with? She had in Her grace more than all the prophets, all the apostles, all the saints, all the martyrs, all the saints, and not only more than all the saints, but more than all the Angels and Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim, which is why Saint Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople, calls Her the sea of grace, for just as no one can measure the depth of the sea or ocean, so no one is able to express the greatness the grace of God that was in the Most Pure Mother of God. The Church praises Her beautifully: “Rejoice, depths beyond comprehension and angelic eyes!” (1) The Most Pure Mother of God is our joyful Teacher, guiding us on the path of salvation leading to eternal joy... The Most Pure Mother of God, a strong Helper to us weak, helps us in our needs (2). Let us turn our mental eyes to the joyful Hodegetria, the Most Pure Virgin Mother of God. It is not for nothing that the Church in her hymns often calls our Lady “verbal paradise.” For just as the one who is worthy of entering the material paradise will not see any trouble there and neither illness, nor sorrow, nor sighing, so the one who adheres to this mental paradise will avoid all troubles and evils and through this paradise will inherit the expected paradise. For She is the door of heaven, opening entry to everyone. “Rejoice,” the Holy Church says to her, “the doors of heaven are opening!” (Akathist, ikos 4). Having this Hodegetria, the joy of our Intercessor, we will cling to Her relentlessly, like the very gates of heaven, and through Her we will enter paradise, full of joy, having escaped all the evils and troubles of this world. This same joyful Hodegetria is our Teacher, for she instructs sinners on the path of repentance, guiding us to salvation and accompanying us with Her mercy while we walk the path of this life. Extracting his ancient people, Israel, from the slavery of Egypt and from the torment of Pharaoh through the Red Sea and leading them into the promised land, the Lord gave them a guide on the way with a pillar of fire and cloud, as David says about this: “And he led them with a cloud by day and the light of fire all night long” (Ps. 77:14), and as it is sung in Irmology: “Instruct Israel with a pillar of fire and cloud, like God.” In the same way, in the new grace, our Lord, leading His new Israel, Christ-named people, to the blessings promised in heaven, which are prepared for those who love Him, gave His Most Pure Mother as a Teacher, in order through Her to lead them into His mountain shrine. For the ancient pillar of fire was a prototype of our Teacher, the Most Holy Theotokos, just as the suffering of the people of Israel in Egypt prefigured our present suffering in the world of life... She is fire, but the fire is not material, but Divine, as one that enlightens those in darkness and guides everyone to the Divine mind. She is a cloud, like one who carries God and pours down on us the rain of God's mercy and grace. She is a pillar, as one who establishes the militant Church on earth and protects from enemies visible and invisible, in the words of David: “a strong defense from the enemy” (Ps. 60:4). She is the Guide and Mentor, as she guides and instructs us to salvation, just as she once instructed Mary of Egypt, who cried out to Her: “Now, wherever you want, direct me, now be for me a Teacher of salvation, guiding me on the path of repentance.” And She guided, with Her grace invisibly accompanied her in the desert and directed her to perfect salvation, until She brought her into the chamber of Her Son, as His beloved bride. In the same way, She instructs and guides everyone who flows to Her to receive eternal benefits, leading into endless joy (2). The three regiments of our enemies, fighting against us day and night, are the world, the flesh and the devil. First the devil, then the world and then the flesh. The devil is the tempter with all his wiles. The deceiving world with all its vanity. The body is a domestic enemy with all its sinful passions. How much these three enemy regiments annoy us, oppress us and commit dirty tricks, there is no need to talk about it, for everyone knows it. The entire multitude of saints who make up the triumphant Church, according to the unanimous statement of all theologians, is divided into three hefty ranks, into three regiments (like the Angels - into three faces), according to the number of three awards prepared for reward: a regiment of teachers, a regiment of martyrs and a regiment of virgins. The Virgin commands and rules over these regiments, as the holiest of all saints. She leads a regiment of teachers, for through Her we have come to know the Son of God, as the Holy Spirit says about Her: She is a teacher of the secrets, who speaks of the God of understanding. She leads the regiment of martyrs, like the one who stood at the Cross and like the One whose weapon pierced the soul (Luke 2:35). He rules over the regiment of virgins, like the Ever-Virgin, like the Virgin both before Christmas, and at Christmas, and after Christmas, the Virgin, surpassing the Angels in virginal purity. This Voivode arranged the following banners for Her regiments. For a regiment of teachers - a banner of heavenly color, for their reasoning, their thinking about God, is directed towards heaven. The banner depicts a golden crown, for they are tested “like gold in a furnace” (Wis. 3:6). It is about this crown that the apostle speaks: “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord will give me... on that day” (2 Tim. 4:8). For the regiment of martyrs - a scarlet banner, stained with the blood shed for Christ, and on that banner is the Throne of God, for He says: “To him who overcomes I will give to sit with Me on My throne” (Rev. 3:21). For the regiment of virgins, the banner is white, since they too are immaculate and white. And on that banner there is a cross depicted, for everyone who bears this cross knows with what cross, with what, I say, patience, purity and virginity are observed. Having brought out these three regiments, She places them against the three enemy hordes mentioned above. A regiment of teachers is placed against the devil, who expose the devil’s machinations, teach and instruct how people can destroy the devil’s machinations. Against the world is a regiment of martyrs who defeated the world and gave us an example of how to despise the world, according to the words of Scripture: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). Against the flesh, She places a regiment of virgins who have conquered their flesh and overcome their natural passions. Having arranged her regiments in this order, the elected Voivode commands everyone to join the battle, fight stubbornly with our great enemies, fight with swords, spears and arrows of their prayers for us, hurt our adversaries with them and drive them far away from us. She herself acts according to the voivode’s custom: just as voivodes usually watch from a high place over the fighting regiments and send help to those who are weakening, so She stands in a high place, having been taken into heaven after Her Assumption, and stands where Saint John the Theologian saw Her. “And a great sign appeared in heaven,” he says: “a woman clothed with the sun.” And she appeared at the most evil time, at the most terrible time - during the devastation and confusion of the universe, for it is written: “There were lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail. And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun” (Rev. 11:19, 12:1). Here it is necessary to know why that Woman, seen by the Theologian and depicting our Voivode, appeared not before the flash of thunder and voices, earthquake and hail, when all the elements were still in peace and quiet, but during the most terrible turmoil of earth and sky? This was in order to show that the Most Pure Mother of God, during the most fierce battle, in the most evil time, when we are fighting against adversaries, when our enemies fight against us, either with the brilliance of the lust of the eyes, or with the voice of the pride of the flesh, or with the thunder of sudden passionate obsessions, or with the shock of internal rebellions, or with a hail of various permissions of God against us, - then She, as the sun rises to our aid, to strengthen those who are conquered, to heal those who are wounded, to raise up those who have fallen in the struggle, to resurrect and re-equip for exploits those who have already died in soul, defeated during the battle, but without despair of Her help, and to prepare a reward for exploits for those who struggle well and achieve victory. In this time of war, so that the night does not cover the struggling ones with its darkness, She appears clothed in the sun, illuminating our darkness. This is how this chosen Voivode, the invincible Victorious, the Most Pure Mother of God, wages war for us with our adversaries, defeating enemies invisible and visible... We, “giving thanks in praise,” sing to Her: “Rejoice, for by Her victories will arise. Rejoice, from whom enemies fall!” (Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos) (2). The Most Pure Mother of God cannot pray to God for us. Yes! It can't. Do you believe it? But even if you don't believe it, I stand by my word: She can't. You ask: why can’t it? I answer: because it cannot, because we do not want to repent of our sins and constantly crucify Her Son and our God with our malice. And therefore She cannot beg Him (2). “I am a wall, and my breasts are like pillars” (Song 8:10). For just as a pillar is built by kings in cities so that everyone who comes to him remains safe and unharmed from pursuing enemies, so the Most Holy Theotokos is raised by the Heavenly King in the city of the Church above all, like a pillar, so that everyone persecuted by enemies, spiritual and physical, visible and invisible, will flow to Her with hope and remain without troubles. So, She is a pillar for us, for without comparison she surpasses all those sanctified before birth in the mother’s womb, justified by faith and reverent life, for all debtors, all saddened, all mourners, reverently flowing to Her cover, are protected from all troubles. The Most Blessed Mother of God is called a pillar both for Her height and for her strength. She is high because of the elevation of Her mind to heaven, contempt for earthly things, for she raised all Her thoughts, intentions, deeds and desires to heaven, always thinking “on things above, and not on earthly things” (Col. 3:2), as the Mother and treasury of Heavenly Wisdom, so it is fitting for Her to say about Herself in the words of the holy Apostle Paul: “But our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Saint John the Theologian saw Her ascended high into heaven - above the moon itself: “Under Her feet is the moon” (Rev. 12:1). The moon, changing and decreasing, means this world, and if anyone has it under his feet, he prevails over it. She was visible standing above the moon, because she trampled all the vanities of the world. She was visible clothed in the sun, because she constantly abided with her bright mind in heaven, where she now remains in soul and body and shines with the rays of Divine glory brighter than the sun. She is also lofty in the multitude of Her merits, for she has so surpassed in them all creatures, carnal and spiritual, that neither Angels, nor Archangels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Powers, nor Dominions, nor Thrones, nor Cherubim and Seraphim, nor prophets, nor apostles, nor martyrs, nor all other creatures can compare with Her in their merits and virtues. She alone surpassed everyone, according to the saying of the priest: “There were many virtuous women, but You surpassed them all” (Proverbs 31:29). The Most Blessed Virgin exalted herself above all the saints and above all the Heavenly Powers, for She is the Queen in heaven and the Lady on earth, the Lady of the Heavenly Powers, the praise of virgins, the crown of martyrs, the Teacher of the apostles. She is the mirror of confessors, the prophecy of prophets, the aspiration of patriarchs. She is the treasure of all virtues. For what can She who is the Mother of the Author of all blessings be deprived of? Further, the Most Blessed Virgin is called a pillar for Her strength, for She is so strong, so strengthened by the grace of God, that no intrigues, no seductions of the enemy demon could seduce Her and harm Her. Moreover, She exposed all the charm of the devil, revealed the demonic intrigues, showed and destroyed their cunning, destroyed the fortress, defeated the force and constantly puts them to flight so that they do not somehow defeat us and steal the victory. Therefore, the holy fathers, glorifying Her strength, called Her images Judith and Jael, for just as Judith destroyed the evil Holofernes, and Jael destroyed Sisera, so the Most Pure Virgin defeated the cursed demon. The pillar is a refuge for soldiers, in which they are saved from enemies, and the Most Blessed Virgin is a pillar for our refuge, for we are soldiers of Christ fighting on earth, and our struggle is with the fiercest enemies, not with the flesh, but with the spiritual, according to the words of the Apostle Paul: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the age. this, against the spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). In this mental pillar of ours, we are saved from such powerful enemies of ours when we resort to it. For was any of those who ran to this pillar left unsaved? Truly, a mother would sooner abandon her child to be torn to pieces by an attacking wolf than the Mother of Mercy would hand over one of Her enemies to be tormented! Father and mother leave their children, but the Mother never abandons mercy, but She accepts everyone as the Mother of invincible mercy, and nourishes them with the milk of God’s grace. Perhaps you will be surprised here, listener, that I called the Virgin Mary a pillar and then suddenly call Her Mother? Do not be surprised at this, beloved, for I learned this from Her Herself. For when She likens Herself to a wall and Her breasts to a pillar, saying: “I am a wall, and My breasts are like a pillar,” doesn’t that mean that She Herself is a defense like a wall, a refuge like a pillar, and a Mother who feeds with spiritual breasts? Means that She is a pillar for covering, a Mother for nourishment, a pillar for the weak, a Mother for babies. If you do not rely on your weak strength, then She tells you: “I am a wall and a pillar, hide in Me from the face of the enemy. If you are ashamed of your smallness, and want to grow into a perfect man (Eph. 4:13), I am the Mother, feed on My milk. I am a wall and a pillar according to My strength and a Mother according to My mercy. I am the Mother who has breasts full of milk, sufficient to nourish all the children who flow to Me. I am a wall that can protect everyone, and a pillar, perfectly armed with all spiritual weapons to defeat proud adversaries” (2). You will find in the Most Blessed Mary the best shield with which you will protect yourself against every flame of unruly lust, against every impulse of sorrow and opposition. In Mary are all the shields of the strong, that is, all kinds of countless virtues. In Her is the faith of the patriarchs, the hope of the prophets, the zeal of the apostles, the strength of martyrs, the wisdom of teachers, the truth of confessors, the purity of virgins. In Her, finally, all the virtues of all the saints are found (2). “Your neck is like a pillar of ivory” (Song 7:5). Ivory is light, white, hard and prized by people. The Blessed Virgin has all this in Herself. She is bright with the grace of God, white with purity of soul and body, solid with unshakable steadfastness and strength against enemies, worthy before God, Angels and people. That is why the Heavenly Bridegroom says about Her: “You are all beautiful, My beloved, and there is no spot on You” (Song. 4:7) (2). Just as breasts full of milk pour it out in abundance, so the Mother of God, filled with grace and other gifts of the Holy Spirit, pours them out abundantly to Her admirers and fills them with the wondrous sweetness of the Holy Spirit (2). “You, pillar of the flock, Daughter of Zion! The first authority will come to you” (Mic. 4:8). The Most Holy Theotokos is the pillar of Christ’s flock, for She protects the sheep of Christ’s flock, who reverently venerate Her, from the fire of God’s wrath, protects and covers them “from arrows flying during the day,” that is, from obvious temptations, and “from disasters that befall in darkness,” that is, from secret temptations, “from illness and the midday demon,” that is, from the persecution of the fierce light (see Ps. 91:5)(2). Call on the Mother of God for help as a quick Helper in all your needs, mental and physical! Flow to Her, virgins, for She is your standard-bearer and the praise of virginity. Flow to Her, wives, for She, too, was Joseph’s wife, although not an unskilled one: She is for you the image of a sober life. Come to Her, widows, for She also knew widowhood and is for you a way of a virtuous life. Flow to Her, priests, for She too was a priestess or priestess of the Divine when she offered Her Son, the Immaculate Lamb, as a sacrifice to God on the altar of the cross for the salvation of the whole world. Let the monks resort to Her, since She perfectly preserved their law, poverty, purity and obedience. May noble princes, boyars and the Kings and Queens themselves resort to Her, for She is the Queen of heaven and earth and came from the royal tribe of David. Run to Her, masters, for She too was given in marriage to a master woodmaker. Finally, let all who live resort to Her, for She is the Mother of all who live, rich in mercy for all who reverently call on Her. Orthodox people of every rank and rank, of every century and age! Direct your hearts, eyes and hands to the Most Holy Virgin, exclaiming with tenderness: “Under Your mercy we take refuge, O Virgin Mother of God, do not despise our prayers in sorrow, but deliver us from troubles, O One Pure and Blessed One!” (2) The Most Holy Theotokos protects us from our enemies, visible and invisible. From those visible, when he grants victory to pious kings over his adversaries and when he motherly protects everyone from the slander of evil people. From the invisible, when it saves you from their treachery and enemy networks. She protects us from the arrows of adversaries with Her maternal cover and extinguishes in us the arrows of bodily inflammation, like the Mother of the Sower of Purity and the only Pure and Blessed One. She tames the winds of pride, like one who loves humility, quenches covetousness, like the Lover of the Poor, protects from the wrath of God, like the Mother of Mercy, and preserves from evil misfortunes, like the Protectress. Therefore, without delay, let us all take refuge under the omophorion of Her mercy, always extended over us (2). I passed through the gates of the nobles of this world and saw many obstacles. There are guards standing there at the gate, who either hold you back or ask why you are coming and where you are coming from, or don’t let you in at all, or they will let some in and turn others away. I also saw various heraldic seals: on some of them gates are depicted, closed or open, but not entrance, for either animals or warriors with naked weapons stand near them - who can enter them? When I come to your gates, O Queen Almighty, I find nothing of the kind: the guards will not push me away, the animals will not frighten me, the warriors will not drive me away, no one will ask why I am going. But I enter without restraint, and stand before You, and talk with You, even though I am unworthy. You see me, listen to me, have mercy and submit me to a useful petition. From the doors of many nobles I often saw leaving and crying - unheard, unpardoned, even more insulted. Who ever came out of Your doors offended? As soon as he approaches Your door, he immediately forgets crying. For you do not tolerate, O Mother, to see Your children offended and inconsolable (3). Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos. You might be interested in: