Homily at the Paraklesis of the Theotokos:
On the Humility of the Most Holy Theotokos
By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov
(Delivered in 1962)
On the Humility of the Most Holy Theotokos
By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov
(Delivered in 1962)
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
"For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed: for He that is mighty hath done great things unto me, and holy is his name" (Luke 1:48–49), answered the Most Holy Theotokos to the greeting of righteous Elizabeth, and the long succession of centuries that have passed since the moment these words were spoken serves as confirmation of their immutability. The name of the Mother of God is revered and glorified by all Christians. Her selection for the great mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, the purity and high holiness of her life, her service to God's dispensation for the salvation of men, her intercession before the Throne of God for the whole world, and her uninterrupted series of good deeds to those who require her help — these are the rays of the incomparable glory that belong to the Mother of God.
Everything that pertains to the glory of the Most Holy Mother of God, as the common Mother of all Christians, should be dear to the heart of every believer. That is why, in sincere reverence for the Most Holy Virgin, we are beginning this year a cycle of weekly teachings on Fridays in honor and glory of the Most Pure Virgin Mary.
All ecclesiastical writers say that no one living on earth had such love for God as the Most Holy Virgin possessed. Her love for God was combined with humility, for which She was honored to become the Mother of the Son of God.
Every earthly being must learn humility – our forefather Adam, who disobeyed and angered God, did not have humility. But the Lord does not need only humility. He must humble himself, that is, break his disobedient will, which does not want what God wants, does not yet know the mystery of love. He is still outside of God, does not walk in God. A perfect person does not know humility as violence against himself: his humility is love. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). This is the voice of a person who does not have his own will and his own life – this is the expression of the joy of the One Who knows nothing but the happiness of belonging to the beloved and loving Lord.
And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden" (Luke 1:46–48). He who loves God, as it were, has no words of his own. His word is holy, it is based on the word of God and therefore more perfect than the word of man. We value our words, our freedom, knowing for sure that for each of our words we will give an answer to God. We see something different in the Most Holy Virgin Mary. She spoke holy words or was silent and kept the words she heard in her heart.
She did not come into the world to preach, like Her Son; love for God makes Her almost invisible during most of Her life. Everything worldly passes through Her, but She does not fix Her gaze on anything external, earthly. The Most Holy Virgin Mary speaks only of the most necessary things in life, even less than necessary. Her words are always short, modest, drawing attention not to Her, but to Her Son. Twelve years after the Annunciation, we hear Her meek and quiet voice addressing the Child, Her Son, when He remained in Jerusalem and they, together with the righteous Joseph the Betrothed, searched for Him for a long time: "Child, what have You done to us? Behold, Your father and I have sought You with great sorrow" (Luke 2:48). But this quiet voice immediately dies away at the answer given to Her by Her Son: "I must be about My Father’s business" (Luke 2:49). Once again we see the Mother of God, humbly waiting at the door of the house where the Lord preaches the word of God. But here too, after the seemingly stern answer: "Who is My Mother? and who are My brothers?... My Mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it" (Matt. 12:48; Luke 8:21). She seems to disappear, to leave our field of attention.
The Most Holy Virgin loved God and people. Because to love God means to love people and sympathize with them. Invisibly, the groan of people reached Her heart; She heard not only the groan, but also the slightest human complaint. This can be judged from what is told about the marriage in Cana of Galilee. It is here that we learn what kind of heart the One who gave birth to Jesus Christ had. It is revealed to us as a miracle. If we read superficially, then our attention in this place of the Gospel is focused on the water that became wine. But if we think more deeply, we will see that this marriage reveals the mystery of the relationship between the Mother of God and the Lord and Her future intercession before the Throne of Her Son. The initiative of mercy belongs to Her. She notices that there is a shortage of wine at the feast: "They have no wine" (John 2:3). Her request is expressed in these short words. However, Christ hesitates: "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come" (John 2:4). But She insists. A virgin herself, the Most Holy Virgin is concerned about the wedding joy. Then the complaint of Her heart finds expression in a pleading look, and Her Son agrees with this look. Then the Most Pure One joyfully says to the servants: "Whatever He says to you, do it" (John 2:5)! She begged Him; as then, so now She hears everything, sees everything, sympathizes with everything.
And once again, the last time in the Gospel we see the Mother of God, is when standing at the Cross on which Her Son is crucified. The Lord, turning to John, says: "Behold, your Mother" (John 19:27)! But here too we immediately forget about Her, in fear contemplating the Lord Crucified for our sins. And She, the Immaculate One, at this time stands at the Cross with a sword that repeatedly pierced Her soul. The Most Holy Virgin does not express Her feelings in any way, anywhere, She does not cry, does not admire, like other women. The Holy Virgin was so modest, she hid everything so much in Herself, that even the Evangelists did not find what to say about Her. Reading the Gospel, it is even difficult to imagine Her earthly existence, it is difficult to find Her in life. And during the life of Her Son She was in deep shadow, and after His Ascension She remained in obscurity. However, now we know that the life of the Mother of God was the best of all that have ever been on earth. After the glorious Dormition, the Lord glorified Her. Currents of miracles flow through the mercy of the Most Pure Virgin Mary to all who call upon Her in prayer.
As a loving, merciful Mother, the Queen of Heaven shows Her care for the Church of Christ, for all believers. How many examples do we find in the lives of the Saints, in Church history, when She Herself appeared to people - in a dream, in reality, She Herself showed them the path to salvation, visibly took them under Her protection, provided Her all-powerful help!
One theologian says: “God loves us immeasurably, for He died for us on the Cross, but He also has justice in His heart – as God does. But the Mother of God has only mercy.” The heart of the Virgin is so tender that if you were to unite the hearts of all mothers, it would be just a piece of ice compared to the heart of the Mother of God. Our duty is to honor Her and turn to Her for help, as our ancestors did. Let us pray to Her today and call out with the words of a Church hymn: "We have no other help, we have no other hope, except You, O Lady, help us, we hope in You, and we praise You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed!" Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
