Проповедь на Благовещение Всепречистой Владычицы нашей Богородицы и Приснодевы Марии

Great and divine, ineffable and incomprehensible - and not only to people, but also to angels and archangels - is the fact that through Jesus Christ our nature has become godlike, the fact that man has been granted a return to heaven. This sacrament begins with the event that we celebrate today (See Luke 1:26–38). The Archangel brings the Good News to the Virgin about the conception of Jesus Christ. The Virgin, in amazement, asked the Archangel how this would happen. “How will this happen to Me when I don’t know my husband?” – She asked. The Archangel, in response to this, called on God for help and said: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the power of the Most High will overshadow You.” This archangelic confession to the Virgin contains the greatest secret: in order to save a person, the Savior and Liberator of the human race Himself becomes a Man. Having violated God's commandment, we sank to hell itself, and many troubles fell upon us - one after another. The human race has tasted sorrow, our life has been filled with sorrow. And so God, who created us according to His benevolence and love for mankind, bowed the Heavens and descended to earth in order to find us. He took our nature from the Holy Virgin and, taking it, renewed it. By sending the Archangel to the Virgin, God, with just a verbal greeting heard today, makes Her the Mother of Christ. After all, if the conception of Christ had occurred in a natural way for people, then Christ would not have been a new man. And now He came to us and became a Man from the Holy Spirit, incarnated in the womb of the Virgin, remaining unchanged God and becoming a Man. The Virgin's name was Mariam, which means "Lady". She truly was a Virgo, both in body and soul. None of Her bodily senses had any admixture of impurity. A prophecy was written about Her that this door would remain closed and no one would pass through it except Christ (Ezek. 44:2). But the All-Holy Virgin is considered the Lady for other reasons. She rules over everyone, because She Herself is free, She Herself is the Root of freedom of the human race. That is why the Angel who appeared to the Virgin addressed Her with the following greeting: “Rejoice, O Blessed One! The Lord is with You, You are blessed among women.” Fearing that instead of an angel she would become the interlocutor of a deceiver, the Virgin did not accept this greeting without careful research. She was confused and asked him how this was possible. The Archangel immediately dispelled Her God-loving fear, saying: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have been worthy of the grace of God.” The Virgin questioned the Archangel’s words not because she did not believe God. No, she was trying to understand how this miracle could be realized. That is why, having received the Archangel’s explanation, she hurries to God and turns to Him in prayer, and then says to the Archangel this way: “Well, if, as you say, the Holy Spirit comes upon Me in order to purify me even more, so that I can become the Bearer of the saving Fruit, if the power of the Most High overshadows Me, which forms in Me as a Man the One who is God and the King of the ages, then I believe that for God there is nothing impossible. So, here I am, the servant of the Lord, and let what you have said happen to Me.” After this, the Angel left the Virgin, leaving the Creator of the world united with Her in Her womb. After this event, the All-Holy became the only being standing on the border of created and uncreated natures, she became the Container of the Incontainable. From now on, after God, all who believe in Him will sing Her. She is the cause of every good thing on earth, She is our Patroness and Giver of eternal blessings. She is the beginning of the apostles, She is the affirmation of the martyrs. She is earthly glory and heavenly joy. She is the adornment of all creation. From Her we also receive hope. May Her unceasing prayers for all of us bring glory and joy to Him who, born of the Father before all ages, became incarnate from Her - our Lady, the Most Holy Theotokos. To Him, our Lord Jesus Christ, belongs all glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.