The Eve of the Annunciation

American Lutheran Publicity Bureau ^ | 24 March AD 2007 | Tom Shelley

[Kolokotronis]

Priest: An Angel of the first rank was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos: Rejoice! (3) And perceiving You, 0 Lord, taking bodily form, he stood in awe and with his bodiless voice cried aloud to her as follows:

Rejoice, through whom joy shall shine forth;
Rejoice, through whom the curse shall vanish.
Rejoice, fallen Adam’s restoration;
Rejoice, redemption of Eve’s tears.
Rejoice, height that is too difficult for human thought to ascend;
Rejoice, depth that is too strenuous for Angels’ eyes to perceive
Rejoice, for you are the throne of the King;
Rejoice, for you hold him Who sustains everything.
Rejoice, star that shows forth the Sun;
Rejoice, womb in which God became incarnate.
Rejoice, through whom creation is renewed;
Rejoice, through whom the Creator becomes an infant.
Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

People: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

Priest: The holy one, beholding herself in innocence, says to Gabriel: The incredible tidings of your voice appear difficult for my soul to accept. For how do you speak of childbirth from a seedless conception, crying: Alleluia.

People: Alleluia.

Priest: Curious to know knowledge what is knowable to no one, the Virgin cried out to the ministering angel: How is it possible for a son to be born of pure loins? Tell me. To whom the angel answered in fear, crying out:

Rejoice, initiate of ineffable counsel;
Rejoice, faith of silent beseechers.
Rejoice, introduction to Christ’s miracles;
Rejoice, consummation of his doctrinal articles.
Rejoice, heavenly ladder by which God came down;
Rejoice, bridge leading those from earth to I heaven.
Rejoice, marvel greatly renowned among the Angels;
Rejoice, wound bitterly lamented by demons.
Rejoice, for you gave birth to the light ineffably;
Rejoice, for the “how” you taught to no one.
Rejoice, surpassing the knowledge of scholars;
Rejoice, dawn that illumines the minds of believers.
Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

People: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

Priest: The divine power of the Most High overshadowed the unwedded Maiden that she might conceive, and made her luxuriant womb appear as a luscious field for everyone who desires to reap salvation while chanting thusly: Alleluia.

[Kolokotronis]

http://lent.goarch.org/media/audio.asp?pageloc=akathist&play=true&title=The%20Akathist%20Hymn&location=/en/services/akathist/eikona/akathist_MSTR.mov#akathist

[wagglebee]

But Mary yielded her will to the will of God the Father, her mind to the mind of Jesus God the Son, and her body to God the Holy Spirit. She became, in a moment of time, uniquely linked to the Holy Trinity as daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, and bride of the Spirit; the first repository of the Body of Christ, in very being, the first Christian. Mary’s “yes” of obedience and faith undid the “yes” of her first mother and ours, the “yes” of Eve to rebellion and sin. Truly, Mary is the Eve of the Annunciation.

I somehow missed this the past few years, and even yesterday, but it is beautifully stated!

[lightman]

Thank you.

There is nothing particularly original about the final sentence; that is a strain of Christian teaching going back to +John Chrysostom and +Irenaeus.

The beginning part comes from having had the blessed experience of sitting in the class room of Rev. Dr. Robert Jenson; who imparted the importance of looking for the action of each Person of the Holy Trinity in every mystery of Redemption.