A Homily for the Protection of
the Most Holy Theotokos
By Metropolitan
Philaret (Voznesensky)
As the great Abba of
Russia Abroad, His Blessedness Metropolitan Anthony, once pointed
out, the festive celebration of the feast of the Protection of the
Theotokos by the whole Russian Church testifies that spiritual roots
stood above all else for the Russian people. For the feast of the
Protection of the Theotokos reminds us of an event that took place
long ago, and an event in which our ancestors suffered defeat against
the Greeks, who were under the Protection of the Theotokos. It
turned out, however, that the Greek Church celebrates this feast very
little, hardly marking it at all, while the Russian Church and the
Russian celebrate the Protection of the Theotokos so festively, that
it reminds us of the celebration of the twelve feasts, the greatest
feats in our church year. Of course, the reason for this is the
calming and encouraging character of the feast. The Theotokos
protects the people praying in church. We know this from the great
saint and witness of spiritual mysteries, Saint Andrew the Fool for
Christ, who testified that the Queen of the heavens did not separate
the bad people from the good and the pious: She covered all those
standing in the church with Her goodness. That is what the Russian
people believed, that She, the All-good Mother, covers all with Her
Protection.
Life is now difficult.
It was never easy, but now it is especially confusing and it has in
many ways lost its Christian roots. Everywhere man is suffocating in
today's atmosphere. Sometimes it may even seem to him that he is
alone, that there is no help, and that spiritual demise inevitably
awaits him. But the Church sings in one of its best chants: "To
the Theotokos let us run now most earnestly, we sinners all and
wretched ones, and fall down in repentance calling from the depths of
our souls: O Lady, come unto our aid, have compassion upon us."
Help us, showing compassion unto us!
That is Who stands
guarding people from misfortune and from sorrow--She, Who lived
through suffering and sorrow more than anyone else. For when She,
having already suffered greatly, stood at the Cross of Her Son, then
the foretelling of the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver on the day
of the Meeting of the Lord rightly came true in reality: Her purest
and holiest of souls was pierced through by a weapon. We cannot even
imagine what Such a Mother went through seeing the incredible
and superhuman sufferings of Such a Son. Her powerful and
patient heart would not have withstood this suffering; it would have
been torn apart, if the Lord Himself had not strengthened Her with
His grace during Her torment at the Cross, which was greater than any
other suffering of any mother. So She, who suffered thus Herself,
understands human troubles and especially a mother's sorrow, along
with whom She suffers. That is why She is considered the defender of
every suffering mother. But She cares for everyone and raises Her
hands to the Lord of Glory and to Her Son on everyone's behalf, and
She covers everyone with Her All-Powerful Girdle. When one mother,
who had many children, was asked which of them she loves the most and
which of them she would grieve over most if she were to lose one, the
mother answered: "Whichever finger you cut off, it will hurt."
The Most Pure Virgin could have answered thus, because when the Lord
Jesus Christ left Her as the Mother of Saint John the Theologian, She
adopted all of mankind, and She is considered the Mother of the
Christian race.
Can a mother not hear
her children? All the children have to do is not abandon their
Mother! One spiritual father told his spiritual daughter, who was
sorrowing: Pray to the Theotokos, but pray so that She can hear you!
And what Mother will not hear her child and try and help?
Let us remember this.
Joyous is the day of the Protection of the Theotokos. It reminds us
that we sinners, upon whom the righteous anger of the Lord should
come crashing down, are covered by Her saving Protection. And when
the Lord, angered by our sins, turns His holiest of eyes, He sees the
Girdle of His Mother. She has covered us. Let us never despair,
regardless of our sorrows and trials, but always call on the Queen of
Heaven and the Mother of the Christian race, that She not take away
Her Motherly care. Amen.