St. John Damascene, so named because he was born about 650 in Damascus, Syria.
It is the last of the Greek Fathers and the most remarkable writer of the eighth century ...
He died Dec. 4 at Mar Saba 749. It was reported on an almost immediate "Venerable" by the council in 787 and Nicea II of "Doctor of the Church" by Pope Leo XIII in 1890.
September 8 - Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin
Nine months being achieved, Anne gave birth to a daughter and called the name of Mary. When she had weaned the third year, Joachim and she went to the Temple of the Lord, and having offered to the Lord of the victims, they presented their daughter Mary to dwell with virgins, night and day ceaselessly praised God. When she was brought to the Temple of the Lord, Mary went up in the current fifteen steps without turning to look back and without looking at his parents as do small children. And it struck with astonishment all the assistance, so that the Temple priests themselves were amazed.
Since the Virgin Mary was born of Anne, nature did not dare to anticipate the blessed seed of grace. It remained fruitless until Grace had brought his. Indeed it was the birth, not an ordinary child, but that first-born would be born where the firstborn of every creature in whom all things exist. O blessed couple, Joachim and Anne! All creation owes you gratitude, for it is in you and it offers to you by the creative gift that surpasses all the gifts, I mean chaste Mother who was only worthy of the Creator. Today
lot of strain on the Root of Jesse, which will grow for the world a divine flower. Today He who had formerly out the firmament of waters upon the earth creates a new heaven and Earth formed from a substance, and that heaven is more beautiful, more divine than the other, for from it that will arise the sun of justice, who created the other sun ....
What miracles meet in this child, that alliances are in it! Female infertility, it is virginity in travail. In it will be the union of divinity and humanity, impassive and suffering, life and death, so that in everything bad is defeated by the best. O daughter of Adam and Mother of God! And all this was done for me, Lord! So great was your love for me than you wanted, not sure my hello by angels or some other creature, but restored by you that you had first created yourself. That's why I leap for joy and I am full of pride and my joy, I turned towards the source of these wonders, and carried away by the waves of my happiness, I will take the harp of the Spirit singing the hymns of the divine birth ... Today
the creator of all things, God the Word made a new book sprang from the heart of the Father, and he wrote by the Holy Spirit who is God's language ...
O daughter of King David and Mother of God, the universal King. O divine and living object, whose beauty charmed the Creator God, you whose soul is in God's action and attentive to God alone, all your wishes are extended to the only thing that deserves to be sought, and is worthy of love that you have anger for sin and its author. You will have a higher life to nature, but you will not get it for you, you who have not been created for you. You have devoted entirely to God, who has introduced the world to serve the salvation of mankind, to accomplish God's purpose, I'Incarnation of His Son and the deification of the human race. Feed your heart the words of God: they will fertilize, such as olive fertile in the house of God, like a tree planted beside the flowing waters of the Spirit, as the tree of life, who gave his fruit in his season: God incarnate, the life of all things. Your thoughts will have no other purpose than what benefits the soul, and every idea not only pernicious, but useless, you will reject even before feeling the taste.
Your eyes are always turned to the Lord, the eternal light and inaccessible, and your ears attentive to the divine words and sounds of the harp of the Spirit, through whom the Word has come to assume our flesh ... your nostrils breathe the fragrance of the bridegroom, he can divine perfume embalm his humanity. Your lips will praise the Lord, always attached to the lips of God. Your mouth savor the words of God and will enjoy their divine sweetness. Your heart is pure, free from any stain, always see the God of all purity and burn with desire for him. Your breast will be the home of that no place can contain. Your milk will nourish God in the child Jesus. You are God's door, striking a perpetual virginity. Your hands will God, and your knees will be for him a throne more sublime than the Cherubim ... Your feet, led by the light of God's law, the next in a race without detours take you to the possession of the Beloved. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the city of the living God, rejoice that the abundant rivers, streams saints of God's grace. You are quite beautiful, quite close to God, the Cherubim dominant, higher than the Seraphim, very close to God himself.
Hi, Mary, sweet child of Anne's love again leads me to you. How do you describe your approach full of gravity? Your clothes? The charm of your face? This age gives wisdom to the youth of the united body? Your dress was full of modesty, without luxury, without softness. Your serious approach, without haste, smoothly and without relaxation. Your conduct austere, tempered by joy, will never attract the attention of men. Witness the fear that you might experience the unusual visit from the angel you were submissive and obedient to your parents and your soul remained humble in the midst of the most sublime contemplation. Kind words, reflecting the sweetness of the soul. What remains would have been more worthy of God? It is right that all generations call blessed you, honor mankind. You are the glory of the priesthood, the hope of Christians, the plant fruitful virginity. As you spread across the honor of virginity. Let those who recognize you for the Mother of God be blessed, cursed those who refuse ...
O you who are the daughter and mistress of Joachim and Anne, accept the prayer of your humble servant who is a sinner, and yet ardently love you and honor you, who wants to find you the only hope of happiness, the guide of his life, reconciliation with your Son and the certain pledge of salvation. Deliver me from the burden of my sins, dispel the darkness piled up around my mind, get rid me of my thick mud, as attempts, fortunately govern my life, so I am led by you to heavenly bliss, and tune world peace. To all the faithful of this city, give perfect happiness and eternal salvation, through the prayers of your parents and the whole Church.
Homily of Saint John of Damascus, to celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
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