Having been raised in the Free Church tradition, I knew nothing of Mary the Mother of Jesus. I remember the first time I heard the Magnificat – I was already a young adult when an elderly and blind woman, nearly a century old, recited it to me on Christmas day in 1974. I have never heard such beautiful words spoken by such a beautiful spirit before or since.
I’ve been a bit jealous of the Roman and liturgical church people in this regard. The tradition of my youth both held women in low esteem and had no sense of the holiness of Mary. On the other hand, I have never understood why the traditions that venerate Mary, also consider women to be impure and unworthy of the priesthood. I would have thought that Mary, as the one who bore God within her very womb, would have changed this view of woman as unclean temptress or merely “not man therefore not whole.”
Regardless, Mary has become dear to me in my continual quest to be a vessel of God’s grace.
From the Prayer Book of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, N. Y.
An Archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos {God Bearer}: Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was amazed and with his bodiless voice he stood crying to her such things as these:
Rejoice, thou through whom joy will shine forth!
Rejoice, thou through whom the curse will cease!
Rejoice, recall of fallen Adam!
Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!
Rejoice, height inaccessible to human thought!
Rejoice, depth indiscernable even for the eyes of angels!
Rejoice, for thou art the King’s throne!
Rejoice. for thou bearest Him who beareth all!
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