500. Слово в день Пресвятой Богородицы, Иконы Ее Тихвинской 981

(Spoken in the Simonov Monastery, June 26) And I lacked wine, the Mother of Jesus said to Him: They have no wine. (John 2:3). Hearing this beginning of the conversation, some may think: what an insignificant word is supposed to be its foundation! But if you have a reason to make this remark: then I also have the opportunity to remind you, and by this very example to prove that there are no idle words in the mouths of the saints, and nothing insignificant is written in the Divine books. Be careful. Let us crush a grain of the word of life: we will find food for the spirit. You will remember that the above words of the Most Holy Theotokos were spoken by Her to Her Divine Son in Cana of Galilee, at the wedding feast to which “Jesus was invited”; that they were followed by a miraculous transformation of water into wine, whose superiority surprised the leader of the feast; and that “behold, Jesus made the firstfruits a sign... and showed His glory and made His disciples believe in Him” (John 2:2, 11). Without going into consideration of the entire incident, the importance of which is evident from its consequences, revealed in the disciples of the Lord, I will limit myself to showing the information, thoughts and instructions that are contained in the words of the Blessed Virgin that I have cited. Firstly, they give us information that the Lord Jesus performed miracles even before those described in the Gospel. This does not contradict the fact that the miracle of turning water into wine is called by the Evangelist the firstfruits: it is the first of those signs in which Jesus “revealed His glory,” that is, in which he gave people an open way to recognize him as the Son of God and the Savior, but not in all respects the first. For what do the words of the Mother of the Lord mean: “they have no wine”? This is not a simple notification of a deficiency, but a modest request to help him, and in no other way than miraculously, due to the lack of natural means. This is clear from the Lord’s answer: “My hour has not come” (John 2:4), that is, the time of open miracles; so from the miracle itself later, with which the Lord finally satisfied the Mother’s petition. But how would it have occurred to Her to ask for a miracle if She had not previously known that it was possible to receive it? How would I know this if I didn’t have previous experiences in mind? From the words of Jesus alone, His deep modesty would not have allowed us to know this early, which always clothed Him even after the miracles that had already been performed, and which in no way allows us to assume premature self-glorification, even before those close to us. So, we must conclude that the Mother of the Lord, even before Cana of Galilee, saw beneficial miracles of Her Son, similar to the one she asked of Him there. This information is not only interesting, but also useful and edifying. It makes it clear that in addition to miracles that “reveal the glory” of Christ, open, solemn, serving to spread and establish the true faith in humanity in general, there are miracles that demonstrate only the extreme love of mankind of the Savior, condescending to the needs, weaknesses, and sorrows of some people separately, to stop their temptations, and to confirm them in faith and trust in Him. Since there is sorrow, weakness, and need even now: we must conclude that our Lord will not deny and now help in them, even miraculously, when natural means are insufficient; If only we would resort to Him with full zeal and pure desire. Secondly, the above words of the Blessed Virgin reveal to us Her own love for humanity and readiness to help distressed humanity. Even if the lack of wine at the wedding feast had not been replenished, this would not have resulted in a serious misfortune: some shame for the hosts, some indignation at the wedding joy. If these small troubles touched Mary’s heart with compassion; and prompted Her, with the key of a mother’s love for mankind, to approach the inexhaustible treasures of love for mankind hidden in Her Divine Son: then should we not expect that more significant disasters will move Her even more strongly to petition for help? The wedding feast is a rather foreign matter for the Ever-Virgin: if even there She was present not without attention, but with condescension, with participation in the difficulty that had arisen, with a readiness to help; Isn’t it even more characteristic of Her, with humane attention, with compassionate participation, with gracious help, to show Her visits where they call on Her not with the call of social affection, but with the call of reverent prayer, where they receive Her as the Ever-Virgin and the Mother of God, and moreover, when Her motherly intercession can no longer be met by Her Son with the reproach of prematureness: “not My hour has come"; after He was “given... all authority in heaven and on earth”? (Matthew 28:18). Thirdly, the words of the Blessed Virgin that we have cited allow us to understand the power of Her intercession for us before Her Son and God. At first, Her intercession on behalf of the needy Kansk hosts seemed completely unsuccessful. The Lord found the demand for a miracle untimely, and the case so did not belong either to Him or to the Intercessor, that He even responded to His Mother as if to a stranger: “What is a wife for me and you? My hour has not come!” (John 2:4) But as strict as the word was, the deed was just as lenient. How unreliable the beginning is: how successful, on the contrary, is the ending. With a stern word, the Lord taught us, through the person of His Mother, the instruction that we should not boldly ask for miracles to end unimportant difficulties, for the defeat of which patience alone may be sufficient: but following this condescending deed, He showed how the severity of His truth is softened by the meek intercession of His beloved Mother, and how Her powerful intercession acquires for us His bounties, which we do not deserve. Fourthly, the meek words of the Blessed Virgin we are considering, soon sealed in silence, present to us an image of humble prayer and reckless attention to the ways of God. How quiet and almost silent is Her petition! She does not say at all what she is asking for, and does not indicate what she wants to ask for. He doesn’t say: perform a miracle; This is what I ask; I demand; does not make the slightest hint of the right of boldness belonging to the Mother before the Son. She only expresses need: “they have no wine”; and immediately falls silent. As if She continued like this in her thoughts: here is the need; I cannot hide that I have compassion for her; But whether it should help her, and how, I still do not dare to extend words; I wait for the word to which everything obeys. And further, when such a humble prayer was answered by an apparently unfavorable answer; The Mother did not complain about the Son, did not contradict him; did not object that there is always time for works of mercy, that humane care should not be alien to anyone, least of all to the Creator and Savior of men; She did not show any sign of impatience or desire for Her will; but in silent submission she gave up her care to the will of Him in whose infinite goodness she infinitely believed. Experience has shown that this submissive devotion to the will of God, as purer in its foundation, is so much stronger in achieving a good goal than the fussy enterprise and restless busyness of the human will. Let our little reflections on the little saying of the Great Mother of God not allow our attention to ourselves, brethren, to remain fruitless. In our needs, weaknesses, sorrows, temptations, let us flow with hope to Her strong intercession before the Son and God, so that the more conveniently the treasures of His manifold goodness may be revealed to us, imprisoned and inaccessible for our unworthiness. But at the same time, let us preserve that purity of intention, that humility of prayer, that reckless devotion to the destinies of God, which the Most Holy Virgin Herself teaches us by Her example. Pitiful are those who, through unbelief, block the life-giving source of grace. But even those are not chosen workers who think through their own efforts to expand the mouth of this source and, of their own free will, give direction to its streams. The supreme will of God cannot be bent under the low yoke of the human will: but when the human will, by faith and devotion, sacrifices itself as a perfect sacrifice to the will of God: then the treasures of grace are opened; prayers are fulfilled; miracles multiply; God is glorified; the person is saved. Amen. Words Nos. CXII, CXIX, CXXII, CXXV, CXXIX, CXXXI and CXXXIV were published in the collections of 1844 and 1848. The notes in the speech under No. CXL, 1 (and in the word under No. CXLII, 1) belong to the Author himself. Printed from Turkest. collection. You might be interested in: