On this our liturgical remembrance of Our Lady's birthday, it is apt to recall what Saint Andrew of Crete, preached:
This is the highest, all-embracing benefit that Christ has bestowed upon us. This is the revelation of the mystery, this is the emptying-out of the divine nature, the union of God and man, and the deification of the manhood that was assumed. This radiant and manifest coming of God to men most certainly needed a joyful prelude to introduce the great gift of salvation to us. The present festival --the nativity of the Theotokos-- is that prelude, while the final act is the foreordained union of the Word with flesh. Today the Virgin is born, tended and formed, and prepared for her role as Mother of God, that God who is the universal King of all the ages!
Let the Church be joined as one,
Binding earth to highest heaven,
Praising Jesus, Mary's Son
Son of God-the Father's glory
Who took flesh that we might be
Reconciled, reborn, forgiven,
From the pow'r of sin set free!
On this solemn, joyful feast dayLet us sing a song of praise,
Thanking God for Mary's witness
Faithfully kept all her days.
From her birth to blessed Anna,
Mary listened to God's word,
And, when summoned by the angel,
Lived in faith what she had heard.
Glory now to God the Father,Who has made us for his own;
Glory now to Christ our Savior,
Who has raised us to his throne;
Glory now to God the Spirit,
Who renews us in his grace:
Laud and honor, never ceasing,
Be to God from all our race!
J. Michael Thompson
Copyright © 2009, World Library Publications
87 87 D; PLEADING SAVIOR, or IN BABILONE
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