Homily on the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Essay rights. Nikolai Kavasila “The Homily on the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary” (10 chapters) is included in the cycle of “Theotokos Homilies”. In the teaching about the Mother of God, the author moves away from the traditional Christological aspect, focusing on its anthropological side, which was a response to the ideas of Renaissance humanism about the autonomy of the human mind, its independence from God. Righteous Nicholas shows the true dignity and rebirth of man through the Virgin Mary, especially emphasizing the conscious, voluntary and effective participation of the Mother of God in the Incarnation. Her will and faith were as necessary for the implementation of the Economy as the participation of the Triune God. The humility of the Mother of God and Her obedience to God united in the Person of the Most Holy Virgin the human will with the Divine will. Human freedom appeared in accordance with the freedom of God. In the Word for the Annunciation, the author shows the perfection of the immaculate life of the Mother of God, Her purity, greatness of soul and deepest faith, which attracted the gaze of God and made Her a worthy dwelling for the Creator. He writes that the free consent and voluntary collaboration of the Virgin Mary was the condition without which the Divine Council for the salvation of mankind could not be carried out. Right Nicholas Cabasilas proves that God not only announced His plan, but expected Her faith and free will. Her famous response: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) is presented as the decisive act, without which the Divine Council for salvation could not be carried out. Virgo’s question: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” (Luke 1:34) the author interprets not as a manifestation of doubt, but as evidence of Her purity and awareness of her readiness for the greatest service, while requiring only an explanation of the miraculous image of conception. Righteous Nicholas emphasizes that the Virgin Mary reached the pinnacle of holiness, and God chose Her as the ideal, “Best Mother” according to Divine justice, since She, with her life and virtues, fully corresponded to His plan. Her “voice of power” after saying “Let it be done to me according to your word” immediately led to the Incarnation of the Word, like the creative word of God at the creation of the world. *The title of the work in Greek is Εἰς τὴν εὐαγγελισμὸν τῆς ὑπεραγίας Δεσποίνης ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου κα ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας. Chapter I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X If it is ever appropriate for a person to rejoice, triumph and exclaim with joy, if (ever) the time itself demands to speak about the great and glorious and ask for the sublimity of thought, the beauty of speech and the persuasiveness of words, then I do not see what time could be better for this than today, on which an angel appeared from heaven to earth, bringing every good thing. Now the sky is magnified, now the earth is glad, now all creation rejoices, and even He who contains the heavens is not separated from the holiday. Real events are true celebrations. All are united in a single image of joy, all are filled with a single joy: the Creator of all creation, the very Mother of the Creator, who made Him partaker of our nature, and our meetings, and our celebrations. After all, He, being a Benefactor from the beginning and always performing this very work (charity), never needed anything at all and knew only to give and do good. However, today, as He does this (his usual work), he also partakes of the second part, becoming among those who receive. Having given one thing from Himself to the creature, having accepted another from it, He, being generous, no longer rejoices in the great things that He bestowed (to the creatures), but, being a lover of mankind, in the little things that He accepted from those who benefit from (His) benefits; He gives Himself honor not only by what He gave to the poor slaves, but also by what He took from the poor. For even if He chose exhaustion and accepted poverty, nevertheless, by the will of the Chosen One, our gift became for Him an adornment and a kingdom. And for the creature (I am talking about the creation, both visible and beyond the limits of sight), what can be a greater reason for joy than to see His Creator in himself and the Master of the whole world in the circle of slaves, who has not taken away the dignity of the Master, but has taken the form of a slave, who has not laid aside wealth, but gives (it) to the poor, who has not fallen from on high, but raises (there) the humble? She, thanks to Whom all these gifts were given to people, also rejoices: she rejoices as one of the same kind with creation, being a participant in common benefits; She also rejoices, however, in the fact that (these gifts) were given to Her before everyone else and primarily before everyone, and also in the fact that it was through Her that they were given to everyone; finally, the fifth and greatest reason for the (Virgin’s) joy is that not only God, through Her mediation, but also She Herself, through what she knew and foresaw, prepared the resurrection for people. After all, She cannot be likened to the earth, which served the creation of man, but itself did not participate in it in any way, being used by the Creator only as matter, only becoming, but not acting. The Virgin Herself brought and realized in Herself that which attracted the Creator to earth and moved the creative hand. What was it? A life most immaculate, an all-holy way of life; rejection of all evil; exercise in every virtue; soul, purest of light; body, spiritual in everything; the brightest of the sun, the purest of the sky, the holiest of the cherubim thrones; the flight of the mind, not overcome by any height, so that even the angel’s wings remain lower; Divine love, which has trampled upon itself all the passionate principles in the soul; giving (Oneself) to God; communication with God, which does not allow any thought about created things. Having adorned both body and soul with everything named, She turned the gaze of God to Herself; With her beauty, She revealed the common (human) nature as beautiful, so that the One who, due to sin, found himself in a hostile relationship with people, became a man because of the Virgin. The mediastinum of enmity (Eph. 2:14) and the barrier turned out to be nothing for Her, everything that separated the human race from God as far as Her was concerned was abolished, so that even before the general reconciliation, She alone made peace with God, having no need to make peace for Herself. But for other people She became the cause of great blessings. Before the Intercessor, She appeared as an Intercessor for us before God - to use the words of Paul (Rom. 8:34), - not raising her hands to Him for people, but offering Life instead of prayer. And the virtue of one soul turned out to be sufficient to overcome the malice of all people who have lived since the ages. Just as the ark, which saved a person in a shipwreck common to the entire inhabited universe, did not itself become a victim of common misfortunes, and preserved the means (of salvation) for the human race, so it happened with the Holy Virgin. She kept Her mind so chaste, as if no sin had been experienced by people, but everyone remained where they should have been, preserving their old habitation. The Blessed Virgin had no idea about the sinfulness that was spread, so to speak, everywhere. The flood of evil that swept through everything closed the sky, opened hell, and drew people into war with God, drove out the Good One from the earth, and put the evil one in His place, but turned out to be completely powerless against the Blessed Virgin. Although it ruled the entire universe and confused, shocked and destroyed everything, yet it was defeated before one mind and one soul; and not only before Her, but, thanks to Her, before the entire human race, they retreated. Before the day came on which it was fitting for God, having bowed the Heavens, to descend upon us, the Virgin served the common salvation in the following way: from her very birth She built a dwelling for the One who could save the human race and created the house of God beautiful, one that could be worthy of Him. And the Tsar did not find his royal palace worthy of blame in any way. However, She not only provided a dwelling worthy of royal greatness, but also prepared for Him from Herself a scarlet robe, a belt and, as David says, greatness, strength and the kingdom itself (Ps. 97:6, 92:1). In the same way, a certain glorious city, distinguished by its size, beauty, nobility and number of inhabitants, wealth and all kinds of power, can not only offer the king shelter and hospitality, but also becomes for him a power, decoration, fortress and militia, and thereby can introduce invincible evil for enemies, and for its own salvation and many all kinds of benefits. And in all this, the Virgin helped the human race before the time of general salvation. When the appointed time came, and the heavenly messenger came to Her, She believed, and heeded, and took upon Herself the ministry (Luke 1:28-38); and all this was necessary and unconditionally required for our salvation, and if there had not been such an answer on Her part, then nothing else would have happened to people. For if, as I said, the Blessed (Virgin) had not prepared Herself, then it would not have been possible for God to favorably turn His gaze to man and wish to descend, in the absence of one who would accept Him and could serve the economy (salvation). So, if She had not believed and consented, God’s counsel regarding our salvation could not have been put into effect. And this is clear from the following: Gabriel, turning to the Virgin with the greeting: “Rejoice,” and calling Her “blessed with grace” (Luke 1:28), announced to Her everything related to the mystery of salvation. And while the Virgin was trying to understand the image of womb-bearing, God did not descend yet. When he found Her obedient and accepting of what was offered, the whole work was immediately completed: God clothed himself with man, and the Virgin became the Mother of the Creator (Luke 1:38). God did not warn Adam and did not require his consent regarding his rib, from which Eve was to be created, but, having deprived Adam of his senses, he removed his member (Gen. 2:22). He first taught the Virgin and waited for Her faith before proceeding to action. Regarding the creation of Adam, He consults with the Only Begotten, saying: “Let us make man” (Gen. 1:26). When, as Paul says, this Wonderful Counselor of the Firstborn (Is. 9:6; Heb. 1:6), He introduces into the universe and creates the Second Adam, He makes the Virgin a participant in His decision. And this “Great Council” (Is.9:6) - as Isaiah calls it, was announced by God, and the Virgin confirmed it. So the incarnation of the Word was not only the work of the Father, His Power and Spirit - the favor of the Father, the invasion of the Spirit and the overshadowing of the Force, but also (the work of) the will and faith of the Virgin. For just as without the participation of the (Three Divine Hypostases) the decision on the incarnation (of the Word) could not be made, so without the consent of the Immaculate One and the assistance of Her faith, the (Eternal) Council could not be implemented. God, having taught and convinced Her in this way, makes Her His Mother. He borrows His flesh from one who knows this and desires it. God wished that the Mother would carry him in her womb as freely as He had become incarnate voluntarily, that She should become a Mother by desire and good will, that She should not merely participate, like anything that moves by the will of another, but, being drawn into the work of economy, would offer Herself and become a co-worker with God in the providence of the human race, so as to have a share and share in the honor associated with it. Further, since the Savior Himself was not only a man and the Son of man in the flesh, but had a soul, a mind, a will, and in general everything human, then He had to be born from a perfect Mother, who would serve His birth not only with the nature of the body, but also with the mind, and the will, and everything that She had. (It was necessary) for the Virgin to become Mother both body and soul, bringing all of humanity for an ineffable birth. Therefore, before accepting service (the sacrament of the Divine Incarnation), She learns about it and responds with faith, desire and prayer. In addition, God wanted to reveal the virtue of the Virgin: what was Her faith in Him, what was the nobility of thoughts, purity of mind and greatness of soul, revealed by the fact that She accepted and believed the wondrous and completely new word that God would condescend to take independent care of things concerning us, and She would be involved in this matter and would be able to serve Him. The first (circumstance) is undoubted proof that She consciously participated in something that is above all and more than what no one could ask for. The second is sufficient evidence that the Virgin had a clear idea of ​​​​Divine goodness and love for mankind. It also seems to me that She was not initiated directly by God (but by an Angel) into the mystery (of the Economy) - although the first method was more fitting for Her than any superior mind - so that the faith with which She lived in God was clearly attested in itself, and so that all Her behavior was not regarded as the result of the influence of the one who convinced Her (God). For just as among believers those who have not seen are more blessed than those who have seen (John 20:29), so those who believed the servants regarding the will of the Master are more prudent than those whom God Himself convinced. And the fact that in her soul She had nothing separating Her from the sacrament, that Her morals were so appropriate (to the service) that one cannot remember any human weakness, as well as the fact that without any doubt She asked: How will it be? - and did not talk about the paths that would lead Her to adequate purity, and did not need a secret guide - all this, I really don’t know whether it should be considered related to created nature. After all, if She were a Cherubim or a Seraphim, or even someone much purer of these creatures, how could She still contain the word (addressed to Her)? How could She consider Herself appropriate for the message? How could she combine (her) strength with the greatness of her deeds? John, greater than whom, according to the definition of the Savior Himself, “did not rebel” (Matthew 11:11), did not consider Himself worthy to touch His shoes (John 1:27), and this is when the Savior revealed Himself in humiliation, but the Immaculate Word Itself, the very Hypostasis of God, even before exhaustion, dared to accept into His womb. Who am I, and what is my father's house? (2 Samuel 7:18). And is it me, Lord, “Will You save Israel?” (Judges 6:36) Such words are fitting to hear from the righteous when they are called to deeds that have been done by many people many times. And the Blessed Virgin, impelled not to anything ordinary and not in accordance with nature, but to something that surpasses all power of reason - for is this not the way to raise the earth to heaven and through Herself to transform and change everything? – she did not waver in her intention and did not consider her soul to be diminished by the deed. But just as we do not experience any displeasure when the light approaches our eyes and do not find anything unusual in the statement that the sun, rising above the earth, begins the day, so the Virgin did not hear anything new when she learned that she would be able to receive and conceive God Himself, for Whom there is no place. She did not pass by the (angelic) address without consideration, did not experience any frivolity, did not indulge in excess of words of praise, but carefully examined the greeting. She inquires about the image of conception and seeks to understand it. She does not add the question of whether She is satisfactory and suitable for such a great service and whether She has sufficiently purified body and soul. She is perplexed only about what relates to nature; as for the preparation of the soul, She omits. She demanded an explanation from Gabriel about the first, and knew about the second from Herself. She had in Herself that courage and boldness towards God that happens, as John says, when “our heart does not condemn us” (1 John 3:21). “How will it be?” - She asks. - “I do not say this because I need greater purification or higher wisdom, but because those who devote themselves to virginity, which is the path of life I have chosen, have a nature that cannot conceive.” “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” - She says. “I’m ready to perceive God, I’m prepared enough. Tell Me, however, whether nature can submit and how.” And then, after Gabriel spoke about the image of the miraculous pregnancy: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:34-35) - and explained everything necessary for this - the Virgin no longer expresses doubts about the gospel. She is blessed both because she appeared as a minister of the supernatural sacraments, and because she believed that She would be worthy of such service. And this was not the result of frivolity, but She truly discovered some wonderful and ineffable treasure of perfect wisdom, faith and purity, which the Holy Spirit testified to when He called Her blessed, as having accepted the word and submitting to the gospel without hesitation. After all, Mother John called Her blessed when she was filled with the Holy Spirit, saying: “Blessed is she who believed, for what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled” (Luke 1:45). “Behold, the Servant of the Lord” (Luke 1:38), - the words of Mary. By right, the Servant of the Lord is the one who fully understood the coming of the Master; She immediately opened a house for Him, Who came and knocked (Apoc. 3:20), as Scripture says, and gave a dwelling to Him who had previously been without a home. Just as the first Adam, for whose sake everything visible was created, despite the fact that there was no need for anything else, did not find a helper until Eve, so the Word, who brought everything (to being) and gave everything created its rightful place, had neither a home nor a place before the Virgin. But She did not give “sleep to Her eyes and slumber to Her eyelids” (Ps. 132:4), until She found a place and dwelling for Him. We can consider that these words, uttered by the lips of David, were spoken by the Immaculate One, for David was the leader of Her family. In the same way, as Paul said, “Levi, while he was still in the loins of his father...gave tithes” (Heb. 7:9-10) to Melchizedek in the person of Abraham. However, the greatest and most wonderful thing is that the Virgin, without being forewarned and not knowing anything about the Sacrament in advance, turned out to be so ready and worthy that She received God, who came suddenly, as it should be - calm and awake soul. She responded with this appropriate and befitting word for Her, so that all people would see the prudence that the Blessed Virgin possessed, so that they would see that She was a new creation and higher than human nature, so that they would see that She surpassed the power of any mind. For the Virgin was inflamed in Her soul with such a wondrous love for God, without being forewarned of anything that was about to happen to Her and in which only She alone had to participate, but only on the basis of those common gifts to people from above that were either already given or promised for the future. Just as Job is admired not so much because he patiently endured the blows, but because he (did this) without knowing anything about the future reward for the trial - so She kept Herself worthy for gifts that surpass knowledge, without knowing about them, and She was the bridal chamber, not expecting the Bridegroom; and She was the sky, not knowing that the sun would rise on it. What can compare with such prudence? One can then ask: who would She be if she knew everything with clarity in advance and had wings of hope? So why wasn’t Virgo taught everything in advance? (The answer) is quite clear: there was nothing left in which She had to improve - She, who had ascended to the pinnacle of holiness; there was nothing that She could add to what She already had. She who possessed its peak could not become even greater in wisdom. After all, if this were possible and there was some kind of virtue that rose above Her holiness, then She would not have neglected it, since She entered life for this purpose, so that, having God as a teacher, she would flow (the path of virtue) and be fully prepared for the sacrament. After all, it cannot be argued that the Virgin would not have become more perfect in wisdom, having hope for this, if there really was something in which She could become better - She, who, even in the absence of incentives to Virtue, so perfected her soul that the Divine Judge preferred Her to all human nature, it is incredible that God did not adorn His Mother with all the blessings and did not create Her in the best, most beautiful and most perfect way. From the fact that He remained silent and did not predict anything from the future to Her, it became clear that He did not know anything more beautiful or higher than what He found present in the Virgin; from here it is also clear that He is not the best Mother of all existing, but in general He chose the best for Himself. She suited Him no more than those in the human race, but she suited Him in everything, and that is why she was honored to become His Mother. For it was absolutely necessary that human nature should once show itself fit for the purpose for which it was originally created and produce a man who could worthily serve the purpose of the Creator. If we often violate the purpose in accordance with which various tools were created, using them now for one craft or another, then the Creator created human nature with a purpose forever determined for it, and not in order to change it later to something else. He created her from the very beginning in such a way that when the time came for Him to be born (according to humanity), He would borrow from her a Mother for Himself. Having first established such application as a certain norm, in accordance with it He then forms man. And therefore, a man had to appear who would correspond in everything (to the purpose of creation). No other ultimate goal of the creation of man can be preferred to this, which is the highest of all and gives the Creator the greatest honor and glory. It is equally incredible that God would not achieve his intended purpose in what He creates. After all, both house builders and clothing and shoe manufacturers can do this; and in general, everywhere the matter is consistent with the final goal, even if these masters did not completely dominate matter, and it did not completely suit them, but in some way resisted; nevertheless, with the help of their art, they subdue her and lead her to the final goal. God is not only the Master of matter, but also created it in the beginning according to His plan, knowing how it would be used. So, what could prevent proper and complete agreement and symphony? After all, God is the One who carries out the economy; it is the greatest work of God and exclusively the work of His hands; He did not entrust it to any servant from among men or angels, but kept it for Himself. And who, if not God, can keep everything that is necessary and in proper order? And especially when it concerns not anyone else, but the best of his creations? And to whom else, if not Himself, could He entrust what was required here? After all, regarding the bishop, Paul determined that, in addition to general cares, he must manage his own household well (1 Tim. 3:4-5). But enough about that. So, when everything came together: the most just steward, the most experienced minister, the most beautiful work of all that has existed since the ages - could there be anything inappropriate there? Complete harmony and symphony had to be preserved, and nothing discordant could interfere with this great and wonderful matter. Due to the fact that God is necessarily righteous and the Creator of the corresponding (His righteousness), having all things in measure and weight (Wis. 11:21), then He was brought (in Her womb) by the Virgin, corresponding to Him in everything. She appeared as the Mother of Him whose Mother, by virtue of (Divine) justice, she had to become, so it is permissible to say that if there had been no other benefit from God becoming the Son of Man, nevertheless the Incarnation would have to happen, since the Virgin would have appeared in justice as the Mother of God. It is precisely the fact that God rewards everyone accordingly and creates everything according to the law of justice, which became the compelling reason to bring about a new way of being of (two) natures. After all, if the Most Immaculate One preserved everything that she had to observe in relation to God, if She appeared to be an extremely prudent person and did not omit anything that was required, is it possible that God would not give (Her due)? And if nothing that could make the Mother of God escaped the Virgin, and She acquired such strong love for Him, God could hardly fail to respond with equal reward and become Her son. And if He gave a leader to the wicked according to their hearts, how could He not take as His Mother the One who was truly after His heart in everything? So the gift (of Motherhood) was the most suitable and fitting for the Blessed Virgin. Therefore, when Gabriel clearly told Her that She would give birth to God Himself: “And (He) will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:33), - the Virgin joyfully accepted his word, as if she had learned about something ordinary, not at all strange and not deviating from the usual order of things. And She said with a blissful tongue, a soul free from anxiety and a mind filled with peace: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord, be it done to me according to Your word” (Luke 1:38). She spoke, and action followed the words; “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). As soon as the Virgin gave an answer to God, She accepts the Spirit who creates this monotheistic flesh. Truly Her voice was the voice of power (Ps. 67:34), as David said: and by the word of the Mother the Word of the Father is formed, and by the voice of the creature the Creator is created. Just as at the words of God: “let there be light,” immediately “there was light” (Gen. 1:3), so with the voice of the Virgin the true light shone. And He became one with the flesh and was carried in the womb, “Who enlightens every man who comes into the world” (John 1:9). O sacred voice! Oh, powerful verbs! Oh, blessed language, immediately calling the entire universe out of the abyss! Oh, treasure of the heart, pouring out many blessings on us in a few words! These words made the earth heaven, made hell empty of prisoners, filled heaven with people, united angels with people, formed a single choir from the earthly and heavenly races around the One who has both in Himself, having always been one, and become another. For these words, how can we express gratitude to You? With what speeches can we turn to You when there is nothing worthy of You in people? After all, our speeches are from things that exist (on earth), but You have surpassed the whole world, rising above every conceivable peak. And if speeches need to be brought, this, I think, should be the work of angels, the mind of the cherubim, the tongues of fire. Therefore, having praisedly commemorated, to the best of our ability, Your deeds and sung, as much as we could, You - our own salvation, let us turn again to the angelic voice; Let's end our word with Gabriel's greeting, decorating it with this conclusion: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28) Grant that we too may become His dwelling place. Grant us not only to speak about what serves to His glory and to You, Who gave birth to Him, but also to act accordingly. But to Your Son be glory forever. Amen. You might be interested in: