Through
Mary the Father’s blessing
has shone forth on mankind
A sermon by
Saint Sophronius, bishop
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. What joy could surpass this, O
Virgin Mother? What grace can excel that
which God has granted to you alone? What
could be imagined more dazzling or more delightful? Before the miracle we witness to you, all
else pales; all else is inferior when compared with the grace you have been
given. All else, even what is desirable,
must take second place and enjoy a lesser importance.
The Lord is with you.
Who would dare challenge you? You
are God’s mother; who would not immediately defer to you and be glad to accord
you a greater primacy and honor? For
this reason, when I look upon the privilege you have above all creatures, I
extol you with the highest praise: Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with you.
On your account joy has not only graced men, but is also granted to the
powers in heaven.
Truly, you
are blessed among women. For you
have changed Eve’s curse into a blessing; and Adam, who hitherto lay under a
curse, has been blessed because of you.
Truly, you are blessed among women. Through you
the Father’s blessing has shone forth on mankind, setting them free of their
ancient curse.
Truly, you are blessed among women, because through
you your forebears have found salvation. For you were to give birth to the
Savior who was to win them salvation.
Truly, you are blessed among women, for without
seed you have borne, as your fruit, him who bestows blessings on the whole
world and redeems it from that curse that made it sprout thorns.
Truly, you are blessed among women, because,
though a woman of nature, you will become, in reality, God’s mother. If he whom you are to bear is truly God made
flesh, then rightly do we call you God’s mother. For you have truly given birth to God.
Enclosed within your womb is God himself. He makes his abode in you and comes forth
from you like a bridegroom, winning joy for all and bestowing God’s light on
all.
You, O Virgin, are like a clear and shining
sky, in which God has set his tent. From
you he comes forth like a bridegroom
leaving his chamber. Like a giant
running his course, he will run the course of his life which will bring
salvation for all who will ever live, and extending from the highest heavens to
the end of them, it will fill all things with divine warmth and with
life-giving brightness.
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