A homily for the Nativity of the Virgin Mary
By Bishop Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky)
"This is the day of the Lord. Rejoice, O ye people!"
Thus exclaims Christ's Holy Church on this day.
How can it be the day of the Lord when we are marking the
birth of the Virgin Mary? We all know that mankind suffered when, as a
result of the fall, the living bond of grace between God and the earth
was broken. Mankind languished under the yoke of darkness. "Bring
my soul of out of prison," said the man of the Old Testament. Spiritual
darkness, a result of sin, gained such control over man that life truly
became like imprisonment in a dark dungeon. People anticipated
liberation from this yoke of darkness. They knew that the One Who will
erase - destroy the power of sin over man -- will come, and they awaited
Him. Not only the prophets but also even some men among the
pagans who were illumined by God's light spoke of Him. And these
men, along with the Old Testament prophets, proclaimed that the lost
bond between Heaven and earth must be restored, and that mankind
must prepare for it.
The Lord-Provider Himself pointed to this. You remember
when Jacob fled from his brother Esau? Jacob, exhausted by the
escape from his brother, fell asleep in the desert. And then he saw a
Ladder rising from the earth to the sky. Angels were descending to the
earth and ascending to the heavens along this ladder, and at the top of
this ladder he saw the Lord, Who said to him: "Be not afraid. I am with
you."
Mankind provided this Ladder with the Virgin Mary, who
through her purity, faith, and love raised herself from the earth to the
heavens, and along this ladder, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
came down to us.
The Nativity of the Virgin Mary is the day that announced the
nearing of mankind's awaited Light, which would lead mankind up from
under the power of darkness. We glorify the Son of God-Messiah-as
the gentle light. We call Christ the Sun of Righteousness, Who came
down from heaven in order to enlighten and consecrate man and the
whole world. So the nativity of Most Holy Virgin Mary was the first star
foretelling the descent of the Sun of Righteousness and Light of
Reason to the earth. That is why Christ's Church exclaims today, "This
is the day of the Lord. Rejoice, o ye people."
We also celebrate the day of the birth of the Virgin Mary
especially festively because it is the first of all of the Lord's feasts.
Through Her, the one Who was born today, a life-giving stream
appeared in the desert that was the life of the Old-Testament people,
and this stream then turned into a torrent of living water for all people.
"Rejoice, o ye people!" How can we not rejoice in the One Who
appeared as a star guiding the way. As we mark this day in the life of
mankind, we continue to sail across a stormy sea of life, with our eyes
turned to the One Who gave to mankind an image of purity, love, faith,
humility, and meekness.
From the mouth of the Lord Himself, we heard words
addressed to the suffering Canaanite woman: "O woman, great is thy
faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." In putting efforts toward
carrying out our voyage of earthly wandering with pureness of heart,
love and loyalty to Our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of the
Most Pure Virgin, may we also hear the quiet voice of our Lord: "Take
courage, child: be it also unto thee even as thou wilt." Amen.