Беседа о подражении Пресвятой Богородице. Св. Амвросия, епископа Медиоланского

The life of the Virgin Mary should be looked at as an example of virginity; in Her, as in a mirror, virginity and all virtues in general are depicted. From here you should take an example of life, because here you are given a living lesson in good behavior, so that you clearly see what you need to correct in yourself, what to improve and what to hold on to. People are usually more willing to learn from a famous teacher. But what is more glorious than the Mother of God? What is brighter than She Who was chosen by the very radiance of the Father’s glory? What is more pure than She Who gave birth without decay? What can we say about other virtues? She was a virgin not only in body, but without any pretense in spirit; humble in heart, not talkative in conversation; diligent in reading; she placed her hope in the prayers of the poor, and not in deceptive wealth; she did her work diligently; she was modest in conversation, she left the judgment of her thoughts to God, and not to people; learned not to insult anyone; she was kind to everyone; was respectful to elders; I didn’t envy my peers; shunned pride; guided by reason, loved virtue. When did She upset her parents, even with her facial expression? When did you disagree with your loved ones? When did you feel disgusted with a person of low birth? When did you laugh at the weak? When did you pass by the poor one? She used to attend only those meetings of men where mercy and chastity could be practiced. There is nothing angry in Her eyes, nothing impudent in her words, nothing indecent in her actions; She has neither pampered movement nor too free a step; Her voice was so quiet that Her very physical appearance reflected all the soul and kindness of her heart. For just as a well-ordered house can be recognized upon entering it, so that with the first step one can see that there is nothing unclean in it: so a pure soul, having broken the bonds of the flesh, shines outside, like the light of a candle located inside the house. What can we say about Her moderation in food and hard work? She applied herself to the latter beyond natural possibility, and according to the former she refused even the demands of nature; She was not without the latter for the slightest time, and from the first she turned all Her days into fasting, so that if when She needed to strengthen Herself with food, she ate only the food necessary to maintain life, and not to give pleasure. She indulged in sleep only at the request of need, but even then, while Her body was at rest, she was awake in spirit: after all, during sleep, the spirit often either repeats what it has read, or continues what was interrupted by sleep, or unites what is scattered, or outlines what should be done. The Virgin Mary left her house only to go to church, and then only in the company of her parents or relatives. However, being incessantly busy in the house, although She appeared outside it, accompanied by others, She Herself was the best guardian for Herself; others guarded only Her body, and She preserved Her morals Herself. She obeyed everyone, wanting to learn from everyone, because whoever wants to educate himself seeks lessons for himself everywhere. However, the Virgin Mary did not study herself so much as she taught others. This is how She is presented by the Evangelist (Luke 1:27–38), in this position the Angel found Her, and the Holy Spirit chose Her. After this, there is no need to say much that this Virgin, who was worthy to be the Mother of the Son of God, was loved by her parents and praised by strangers. At the time the Angel came to Her, She was in the secret chambers of the house, without interlocutors, so that no one would disturb Her meditation, because, constantly engaged in the thought of God, She did not even want company with women. However, although the Virgin Mary was alone, she did not consider herself lonely: in fact, how could She who had so many books, so many Archangels, so many Prophets be solitary? When the visiting Archangel Gabriel found Her here, She, seeing him in the form of a man, was frightened and recognized him only by his voice. So She shunned men! And so chaste were Her ears and modest eyes! And so, after the greeting, She fell silent, and only gave an answer to the question: She Who was first troubled in spirit, then took a vow of obedience. And how respectful She was to her loved ones is shown by the Divine Scripture. When the Virgin Mary recognized Herself as God’s chosen one, She became even more humble, and immediately went to the “high room” to visit Her relative, out of kindred love, and not in order to learn faith from her example: for She had already believed the Angel’s prediction, which is why she was blessed for her faith, and stayed with her for three months. And here, when Elizabeth’s son greeted Her Mother of the Lord with a leap in his mother’s womb, She revealed feelings before piety, and not nature. Therefore, with all the numerous signs that followed, i.e., despite the fact that a barren woman gave birth, a virgin conceived, a dumb man spoke, the wise men worshiped, a star proclaimed, and Simeon hoped, Mary did not change because of the miracles, but kept all these words, putting them in Her heart (Luke 2:19), so that, although she became the Matter of the Lord, she she wanted to learn the commandments of the Lord, and although she gave birth to God, she wanted to know God. What does it mean that She went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover holiday, and went with Joseph (Luke 2:41)? - The fact that a virgin has modesty as a necessary companion to all virtues: it must be inseparable from virginity, so virginity cannot exist without modesty. That is why Mary did not even go to the church without the guardian of Her modesty. This is an example of virginity, and this is how the Most Holy Virgin Mary teaches everyone through Her life! Therefore, if we are pleased with this original, then we will imitate Her, desiring the same reward as Her. Amen 243. See Sunday Reading XV (1851–1852), pp. 177–178; Wed Creations of St. Ambrose Bishop Milansky, on the issue of virginity and marriage, in Russian translation. Kazan. Published. Kazan Theological Academy. 1901, pp. 31–35. You might be interested in: