Patriarch Daniel on the Feast of Annunciation: The Mother of God is a loving and prayerful Protectress of the entire world

Aurelian Iftimiu – Basilica News Agency – 28/3/17 

The beginning of the incarnation of the Son of God is the beginning of the deification of man, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said during his homily delivered on the Feast of the Annunciation.

On 25 March 2017, the Patriarch of Romania attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated at St Gregory the Enlightener Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence.

The Feast of the Annunciation is the beginning of our salvation, His Beatitude said quoting the festive troparion.

Through the union of the divine and human natures of our Saviour Jesus Christ, man is united with God, the Patriarch explained saying that thus the human nature becomes sanctified and deified.

The Mystery of the conception of the Son of God is great and it is impossible for the human mind to grasp it, the Patriarch noted. The mind can only marvel at its greatness.

Neither the angels in heaven can understand how the eternal God becomes Human within time, nor how the limitless God becomes limited by the humanity assumed.

Quoting the Gospel according to St Luke (1:35), Patriarch Daniel explained that Archangel Gabriel sheds light upon this Mystery saying: The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

The entire Holy Trinity participates in the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ from Virgin Mary, the Patriarch noted.

The Holy Spirit opens the creation for the Creator; God the Father participates through goodwill and initiative; the Holy One to be born from the Virgin becomes the Saviour of the world.

Thus, Virgin Mary becomes the closest created being to the Holy Trinity, being more honourable than all the angelic heavenly powers. The Church offers her duly veneration by dedicating to her nine feasts during the liturgical year.

Therefore, our salvation in Jesus Christ is performed through the cooperation of the Most Holy Trinity and the free consent of the Mother of God to fulfil God’s will.

The Patriarch pointed out that the Mother of God did not ask further questions, she did not doubt, but with humble obedience and full of certainty and faith uttered ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.’

The Patriarch went on to reflect on the veneration of the Mother of God as a living icon of the Church, obedient to God and helper of Christians. He stressed that the honour and glory of the Mother of God result from her capacity as Mother of God.

The Theotokos is the Protectress of family and of parents who give birth to children; She is the Protectress of children, of mothers and of virgins. She is the Protectress of priests because her Son is the eternal Archpriest; She is the Protectress of monks and nuns.

The protection and the help of the Mother of God encompass the whole world. She is joy and love especially for those who are no longer loved by anyone, for the forgotten, for the lonely, for the abandoned. The Theotokos is a loving and prayerful Protectress of the entire world, His Beatitude said ending his festive homily.

Photo credit: Lumina Newspaper

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