Discourse on the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God

by Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete

The present feastday is for us the beginning of feastdays. Serving as = boundary limit to the law and to foretypes, it at the same time serves = as a=20 doorway to grace and truth. "For Christ is the end of the law" (Rom = 10:4), Who,=20 having freed us from the writing, doth raise us to spirit. Here is the = end (to=20 the law): in that the Lawgiver, having made everything, hath changed the = writing=20 in spirit and doth head everything within Himself (Eph 1:10), hath taken = the law=20 under its dominion, and the law is become subjected to grace, such that = the=20 properties of the law not suffer reciprocal commingling, but only = suchlike, that=20 the servile and subservient (in the law) by Divine power be transmuted = into the=20 light and free (in grace), "so that we -- sayeth the Apostle -- be not = enslaved=20 to the elements of the world" (Gal 4:3) and be not in a condition under = the=20 slavish yoke of the writing of the law. Here is the summit of Christ's=20 beneficence towards us! Here are the mysteries of revelation! Here is = the=20 theosis [divinisation] assumed upon humankind -- the fruition worked out = by the=20 God-man.=20

The radiant and bright coming-down of God for people ought to possess = a=20 joyous basis, opening to us the great gift of salvation. Suchlike also = is the=20 present feastday, having as its basis the Nativity of the Mother of God, = and as=20 its purposive end -- the uniting of the Word with flesh, this most = glorious of=20 all miracles, unceasingly proclaimed, immeasurable and incomprehensible. = The=20 less comprehensible it is, the more it is revealed; and the more it is = revealed,=20 the less comprehensible it is. Wherefore the present God-graced day, the = first=20 of our feastdays, showing forth the light of virginity and as it were = the crown=20 woven from the unfading blossoms of the spiritual garden of Scripture, = doth=20 proffer creatures a common joy. Be of good cheer -- sayeth it -- behold, = this is=20 the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin and of the renewal of the human = race!=20 The Virgin is born, She groweth and is raised up and prepareth Herself = to be the=20 Mother of God All-Sovereign of the ages. All this, with the assist of = David,=20 makes it for us an object of spiritual contemplation. The Mother of God=20 manifests to us Her God-bestown Birth, and David points to the = blessedness of=20 the human race and wondrous co-kinship of God with mankind.=20

And thus, truly one ought to celebrate the mystery today and to offer = to the=20 Mother of God a word by way of gift: since nothing is so pleasing to = Her, as a=20 word and praise by word. It is from here also that we receive a twofold = benefit:=20 first, we enter into the region of truth, and second, we emerge from the = captivity and slavery of the written law. How? Obviously, when darkness=20 vanishes, then light appears; so also here: after the law there follows = the=20 freedom of grace.=20

The present day solemnity is a line of demarcation, separating the = truth from=20 its prefigurative symbol, and ushering in the new in place of the old. = Paul --=20 that Divine Trumpeter of the Spirit -- exclaims thus about this: "For = anyone=20 that be in Christ, ye are remade a new creature; the old passeth away = and behold=20 all is become new (2 Cor 5:17); for the law hath perfected nothing = adducing for=20 a better hope, whereby we draw nigh to God" (Heb 7:19). The truth of = grace hath=20 shown forth brightly.=20

Let there now be one common festal celebration in both heaven and on = earth.=20 Let everything now celebrate, that which is in the world and that beyond = the=20 world. Now is made the created temple for the Creator of all; and = creation is=20 readied into a new Divine habitation for the Creator. Now our nature = having been=20 banished from the land of blessedness doth receive the principle of = theosis and=20 doth strive to rise up to the highest glory. Now Adam doth offer from us = and for=20 us elements unto God, the most worthy fruit of mankind -- Mary, in Whom = the new=20 Adam is rendered Bread for the restoration of the human race. Now is = opened the=20 great bosom of virginity, and the Church, in the matrimonial manner, = doth place=20 upon it a pure pearl truly immaculate. Now human worthiness doth accept = the gift=20 of the first creation and returns to its former condition; the majesty = darkened=20 by formless sin -- through the conjoining by His Mother by birth "of Him = Beauteous by Goodness," man receives beauty in a most excellent and = God-seemly=20 visage. And this creating is done truly by the creation, and recreation = -- by=20 theosis, and theosis -- by a return to the original perfection! Now a = barren one=20 is become beyond expectation a mother, and the Birth-giver hath given = birth=20 without knowing man, and She doth sanctify natural birth. Now is readied = the=20 majestied color of the Divine scarlet-purple and the impoverished human = nature=20 is clothed in royal worthiness. Now -- according to prophecy -- there = sprouts=20 forth the Offshoot of David, Who, having eternally become the = green-sprouting=20 Staff of Aaron, hath blossomed forth for us with the Staff of Power -- = Christ.=20 Now of Judah and David is descended a Virgin Maiden, rendering of = Herself the=20 royal and priestly worthiness of Him that hath taken on the priesthood = of Aaron=20 in the order of Melchisedek (Heb 7:15). Now is begun the renewal of our = nature,=20 and the world responding, assuming a God-seemly form, doth receive the = principle=20 of a second Divine creation.=20

The first creation of mankind occurred from the pure and unsullied = earth; but=20 their nature darkened the worthiness innate to it, they were deprived of = grace=20 through the sin of disobedience; for this we were cast out of the land = of life=20 and, in place of the delights of paradise, we received temporal life as = our=20 inheritance by birth, and with it the death and corruption of our race. = All=20 started to prefer earth to heaven, such that there remained no hope for=20 salvation, beyond the utmost help. Neither the natural nor the written = law, nor=20 the fiery reconciliative sayings of the prophets had power to heal the = sickness.=20 No one knew, how to rectify human nature and by what means it would be = most=20 suitable to raise it up to its former worthiness, so long as God the = Author of=20 all did not deign to reveal to us another arranged and newly-constituted = world,=20 wherein is annihilated the pervasive form of the old poison of sin, and = granting=20 us a wondrous, free and perfectly dispassionate life, through our = re-creation in=20 the baptism of Divine birth. But how would this great and most glorious = blessing=20 be imparted to us, so very in accord with the Divine commands, if God = were not=20 to be manifest to us in the flesh, not subject to the laws of nature -- = nor=20 deign to dwell with us in a manner, known to Him? And how could all this = be=20 accomplished, if first there did not serve the mystery a Pure and = Inviolate=20 Virgin, Who contained the Uncontainable, in accord with the law, yet = beyond the=20 laws of nature? And could some other virgin have done this, besides She = alone,=20 Who was chosen before all others by the Creator of nature?=20

This Virgin is the Mother of God -- Mary, the MostGlorious of God, = from the=20 womb of Whom the MostDivine issued forth in the flesh and by Whom He = Himself did=20 arrange a wondrous temple for Himself. She conceived without seed and = gave birth=20 without corruption, since that Her Son was God, though also He was born = in the=20 flesh, without mingling and without travail. This Mother, truly, avoided = that=20 which is innate to mothers but miraculously fed with milk Her Son, = begotten=20 without a man. The Virgin, having given birth to the seedlessly = Conceived-One,=20 remained a Pure Virgin, having preserved incorrupt the marks of = virginity. And=20 so in truth She is named the Mother of God; Her virginity is esteemed = and Her=20 birth-giving is glorified. God, having conjoined with mankind and become = manifest in the flesh, hath granted Her a unique glory. Woman's nature = suddenly=20 is freed from the first curse, and just as the first did bring in sin, = so also=20 doth the first initiate salvation also.=20

But our discourse has attained its chief end, and I, celebrating now = and with=20 rejoicing sharing in this sacred feast, I greet you in the common joy. = The=20 Redeemer of the human race -- as I said -- willed to arrange a new birth = and=20 re-creation of mankind: like as under the first creation, taking dust = from the=20 virginal and pure earth, wherein He formed the first Adam, so also now, = having=20 arranged His Incarnation upon the earth, -- and so to speak, in place of = dust --=20 He chooses from out of all the creation this Pure and Immaculate Virgin = and,=20 having re-created mankind within His Chosen-One from amidst mankind, the = Creator=20 of Adam is made the New Adam, in order to save the old.=20

Who indeed was This Virgin and from what sort of parents did She = come? Mary,=20 the glory of all, was born of the tribe of David, and from the seed of = Joakim.=20 She was descended from Eve, and was the child of Anna. Joakim was a = gentle man,=20 pious, raised in God's law. Living prudently and walking before God he = grew old=20 without child: the years of his prime provided no continuation of his = lineage.=20 Anna was likewise God-loving, prudent, but barren; she lived in harmony = with her=20 husband, but was childless. As much concerned about this, as about the=20 observance of the law of the Lord, she indeed was daily stung by the = grief of=20 childlessness and suffered that which is the usual lot of the childless = -- she=20 grieved, she sorrowed, she was distressed, and impatient at being = childless.=20 Thus, Joakim and his spouse lamented that they had no successor to = continue=20 their line; yet the spark of hope was not extinguished in them = completely: both=20 intensified their prayer about the granting to them of a child to = continue their=20 line. In imitation of the prayer heard of Hannah (1 Kings 1: 10), both = without=20 leaving the temple fervently beseeched God that He would undo her = sterility and=20 make fruitful her childlessness. And they did not give up on their = efforts,=20 until their wish be fulfilled. The Bestower of gifts did not contemn the = gift of=20 their hope. The unceasing power came quickly in help to those praying = and=20 beseeching God, and it made capable both the one and the other to = produce and=20 bear a child. In such manner, from sterile and barren parents, as it = were from=20 irrigated trees, was borne for us a most glorious fruition -- the = Immaculate=20 Virgin. The constraints of infertility were destroyed -- prayer, upright = manner=20 of life, these rendered them fruitful; the childless begat a Child, and = the=20 childless woman was made an happy mother. Thus the immaculate Fruition = issuing=20 forth from the womb occurred from an infertile mother, and then the = parents, in=20 the first blossoming of Her growth brought Her to the temple and = dedicated Her=20 to God. The priest, then making the order of services, beheld the face = of the=20 girl and of those in front of and behind, and he became gladdened and = joyful,=20 seeing as it were the actual fulfillment of the Divine promise. He = consecrated=20 Her to God, as a reverential gift and propitious sacrifice -- and, as a = great=20 treasury unto salvation, he led Her within the very innermost parts of = the=20 temple. Here the Maiden walked in the upright ways of the Lord, as in = bridal=20 chambers, partaking of heavenly food until the time of betrothal, which = was=20 preordained before all the ages by Him Who, by His inscrutable mercy, = was born=20 from Her, and by Him Who before all creation and time and expanse = Divinely begat=20 Him, and together with His consubstantial and co-reigning and = co-worshipped=20 Spirit -- this being One Godhead, having One Essence and Kingdom, = inseparable=20 and immutable and in which is nothing diverse, except the personal = qualities.=20 Wherefore, in solemnity and in song I do offer the Mother of the Word = the festal=20 gift; since that He born of Her hath taught me to believe in the = Trinity: the=20 Son and Word Without-Beginning hath made in Her His Incarnation; the = Father=20 begetting Him hath blessed this; the Holy Spirit hath signed and = sanctified the=20 womb which incomprehensibly hath conceived.=20

Now is the time to question David: in what did the God of all = forswear him?=20 Speak, O Psalmist and Prophet! He hath sworn from the fruit of my loin = to sit=20 upon my throne (Ps 131[132]:11). Here in this He is forsworn and wilt = not break=20 His oath, He hath forsworn and His Word is sealed with a deed! "Once -- = said he=20 -- I forswear by My Holiness, that I lie not to David; his seed wilt = prevail=20 forever, and his throne, like the sun before Me and like the moon = coursing the=20 ages: a faithful witness also in heaven" (Ps 88[89]:35-38). God hath = fulfilled=20 this oath, since it is not possible for God to lie (Heb 6:18). Consider = this:=20 Christ in the flesh is named my Son (Mt. 22: 42), and all nations will = worship=20 my Lord and Son (Ps 71[72]:11), seeing him sit upon a virginal throne! = Here also=20 is the Virgin, from Whose womb the Praeternal One issued forth, = incarnated at=20 the end of the ages and renewing the ages, likewise sprung forth from my = loins!=20 All this is so!=20

People of God, holy nation, sacred gathering! Let us revere our = paternal=20 memory; let us extol the power of the mystery! Each of us, in the = measure given=20 by grace, let us offer a worthy gift for the present feast. Fathers -- a = prosperous lineage; mothers -- fine children; the unbearing -- the = not-bearing=20 of sin; virgins -- a twofold prudence, of soul and of body; betrothed -- = praiseworthy abstinence. If anyone of you be a father, let him imitate = the=20 father of the Virgin; and if anyone be without child -- let them make = harvest of=20 fruitful prayer, cultivating a life pleasing to God. The mother, feeding = her=20 children, let her rejoice together with Anna, raising her Child, given = to her in=20 infertility through prayer. She that is barren, not having given birth, = lacking=20 the blessing of a child, let her come with faith to the God-given = Offshoot of=20 Anna and offer there her barrenness. The virgin, living blamelessly, let = her be=20 a mother by discourse, adorning by word the elegance of soul. For a = betrothed --=20 let her offer mental sacrifice from the fruits of prayer. All together = rich and=20 poor, lads and maidens, old and young (Ps 48:2, 148:12), priests and = levites --=20 let all together keep the feast in honor of the Maiden, the Mother of = God and=20 the Prophetess: from Her hath issued forth the Prophet, foretold of by = Moses,=20 Christ God and Truth (Dt 18:15). Amen.=20