Let us faithfully praise the Virgin Mary,
for she is brought into the Holy of Holies,
to be raised in the Lord.
for she is brought into the Holy of Holies,
to be raised in the Lord.
Ekos from Matins
On
this day, my brethren, the holy Church celebrates the
solemn Entry into the temple in Jerusalem of the
three-year-old child, Mary—the blessed daughter
of righteous parents, Joachim and Anna—to be in
instructed in the Lord. Zacharias—the elder and
high priest—meets her with priestly splendor; and
as he was instructed to do by the Spirit of God, he
brings her, accompanied by young maidens, into the most
interior part of the temple, the Holy of Holies, where
the high priest himself enters but once a year, and
where the Holy of Holies, the Lord Himself
dwelt—for she was to become the Mother of His
flesh.
How did the most blessed Virgin spend her time in the
temple? Taught the Hebrew written language and prayer by
the Holy Spirit through the maidens, she spent her time in
prayer, reading of the word of God (as you can see on the
icon of the Annunciation), in divine contemplation, and
handiwork. Her love for converse with God and for reading
the word of God was so great that she forgot about food
and drink, and an Archangel brought her heavenly food at
God's request, as the Church sings in the stichera for
today's feast.
What an excellent example for fathers, mothers, and their
children; for Christian maidens and youths! They are
obligated as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, as
servants of the Heavenly Queen, the Mother of God, and
Founder of Spiritual Instruction[1]
(meaning the Church to which they belong), to emulate
as well as they can her fervent love for God, her zeal
for reading the word of God, for prayer, for divine
contemplation, self-restraint, and love of labor! If we
do not want to be falsely called spiritual members of
Christ's Church—that holy House of God, the Queen
and Mother of which is the Most Holy Virgin—then
we should also have the same thoughts as She has. May
her children by grace be of one spirit with Her! Let
them learn from her how to love the Lord, our Creator,
more than anything else in the world, more than father
and mother, more than anyone dear to us; how to avidly
study the word of God—something unfortunately not
seen amongst the disciples of Jesus Christ; learn with
what warmth of heart and love we must pray to the Lord;
how we must dedicate ourselves to him wholeheartedly;
how to entrust our fate to His wise and all-good
Providence; with what purity, meekness, humility, and
patience we must always clothe and adorn ourselves and
not with the vain embellishments of this adulterous and
sinful world which knows no bounds of luxury and
elegance in bodily clothing; how to love a life with
God and the saints more than to dwell in the tents
of sinners (Ps. 83:11).
Since the Most Holy Virgin was brought into the temple to
be instructed in the Lord, let us talk now about the
benefit and necessity of going to the church of God as the
house of God and place where we are raised for the
Heavenly Fatherland. We are called Christians, and we are
all called by Jesus Christ to the Heavenly Fatherland, to
be heavenly citizens, Divine inheritors, co-inheritors
with Christ. Our calling is very high, our duties are also
just as important; our spirit should be very exalted,
holy, meek, and humble.
Who will show us what makes up our Christian calling and
duty, of what spirit we must be, and how we should behave
ourselves in various life situations? Who will give us the
strength to live in the spirit of Christ—holy? The
Church gives us all this. We can receive these spiritual
powers in the temple of God through the Sacraments. Here a
heavenly, unearthly spirit hovers; here is the school of
Jesus Christ, in which future heavenly citizens are
educated. Here you will receive heavenly lessons from the
Divine Teacher, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit in the
Gospels. Here is heavenly food and heavenly drink,
spiritual, heavenly garments, and spiritual armaments
against the enemies of salvation. Here you will receive
the peace that is a foretaste of heaven, so necessary to
our spiritual activity and education, and strength for
spiritual labors and struggle with sin. Here we partake of
sweet conversation with our Heavenly Father and the Most
Holy Queen and Mother of God, with the angels of the Lord
and saints. Here we learn how to pray, and for what to
pray. Here you will find examples of all the Christian
virtues in the saints who are glorified each day by the
Church. Here, gathered together in the house of God, as
children of one Heavenly Father, as members of the
mystical body of Christ, we learn how to love one
another—member loving member, as members of Christ,
as Christ Himself.
See how beneficial, how necessary it is for a Christian to
visit God's church. It is a school of faith and piety
founded by God, a sacred treasure According as His
divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3), the treasury of
all the Mysteries of Christ! But the benefit and necessity
for the Christian of attending God's church is more
clearly revealed by comparing the church with the vain
world, to which we prefer to go instead of church. What do
you find in the world, and what in church?
In the world, at every step there is vanity, delusion, and
vice; in the church is truth, sanctity, and every kind of
virtue. In the world is corruption, sin, and death; in the
church is the incorruption of the saints and eternal life.
Outside the church you see objects of worldly vanity that
feed on the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn. 2:16). You see the
things that constantly entice and captivate people, and
cause them to neglect the commandments of God, the Creator
and Savior of all. For example, here in this building were
kept fabrics of every sort and color. Those fabrics are
the object of adoration of the daughters of men. They
lived for them, were inspired by them, rejoiced over them,
but not over God. Here the sparkle of various items of
silver and gold stunned and enticed the gaze of those who
worship everything glittering and beautiful. In a
word—no matter where you direct your attention in
the world, you will see only decay, vanity, and sin;
everywhere is the earthly and worldly. Empty, vain
conversations, vain activity that gives almost no reminder
of heaven, God, and the other life. Only in pious homes do
the icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Most Pure Mother,
and His saints remind the thoughtful that we, Christians
and members of Christ, members of His kingdom, look for
the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to
come, in which we shall unite with the Lord and the
saints, having cleansed ourselves of all defilement of
flesh and spirit.
Thus, do you see what a difference there is between the
temple--the house of God, and the world? Do you see how
beneficial and necessary it is for a Christian to visit
the temple of God in order to educate himself for the
Heavenly Fatherland, in order to bring the spirit of
Christ into himself, to engender heavenly, saintly
manners? For, where else besides God's temple will you
hear the word of God; where, beside in church, will you
receive the mysteries of faith; where will you obtain the
strength to live in a Christian way? All of this is in
church and from church.
Love going to God's church, and prepare a temple of your
own selves for God: Ye also, as lively stones, are
built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer
up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ (1 Pet. 2:5). Let parents, teachers, and
relatives take or send their children to church often,
every Sunday and feast day without fail, and not to the
theatre, where they will only learn what the young should
not know. In church, they will hear the name of the Lord
more frequently; they will learn the great truth of the
creation of the world and mankind; they will come to know
the Savior, the Mother of God, and the names of the
saints. They will learn about the resurrection of the
dead, the future judgment, the future life, and the
eternal torments of sinners. They will learn from the
Spirit of God to be good Christians; and that is more
valuable than anything in the world. Amen.
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