Homily on the Forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov
(Delivered on August 13, 1960)
By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov
(Delivered on August 13, 1960)
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
Today, dear brothers and sisters, celebrating the Leave-taking of the Transfiguration, we have descended from Tabor, and today, having entered into the pre-festive period of the Dormition, we must then proceed to Gethsemane – to the tomb of the Mother of God, to witness the ultimate mysteries that she embodies. Tabor is delightful, and Gethsemane is soul-soothing. The Holy Church calls the Dormition of the Mother of God the last mystery in Her life, the last of those mysteries that accompanied Her entire earthly existence. The whole life of the Most Holy Virgin, in its appearance and essence, was something mysterious and wondrous, bearing the marks of the Divine seal. For the glorification of the Mother of God and for our edification, let us remember, with faith and love, what those mysteries were that were accomplished by Divine Providence in Her.
The first mystery in the life of the Mother of God was revealed at the very moment of Her birth, the coming into the world by God. From whom did She come? From aged parents – as a result of a special prayer and vow. It was pleasing to the wisdom of God that She, who was to give birth to the God-man, should be the fruit not so much of the natural powers of human nature as of the inspiration of divine grace. And so, the elderly Joachim and Anna, having reached advanced years when all hope of becoming father and mother is lost to people, through their steadfast faith and hope in the omnipotence of God, receive through their prayers the pure gift of heaven – the Most Blessed Mary. Thus was the first mystery accomplished in Her – at the time of Her birth.
The second mystery was revealed over Her during the presentation of Her into the Temple as a three-year-old Maiden. The very act of Her presentation at such a young age was extraordinary, as a consequence of the special, extraordinary vow of the righteous Joachim and Anna to dedicate the fruit of their prayers to the Lord. Thus, from her earliest years, She could spiritually and emotionally connect with all that is holy. While in the Temple for her upbringing, She would, like other virgins, have been expected to remain only in its vestibule; yet we see that the High Priest, by special revelation, brings the Holy Maiden into the Holy of Holies, a place where only he could enter once a year. It was the will of Divine Wisdom that the future Mother of God, the living Ark of God, dwell where Her prototype was kept – the Ark of the Covenant with manna and the tablets. Thus, the second mystery was accomplished concerning the Virgin – during Her presentation into the Temple.
The third mystery concerning Her was revealed upon Her reaching adulthood. The Old Testament, as is known, did not recognize a state of virginity dedicated to God and sanctified by the Law in the manner that the New Testament Church understands and perceives it. Therefore, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, upon reaching a certain age, following the example of other maidens, was to choose a husband for herself. However, the Virgin Mary declared that She firmly resolved throughout Her life to belong to no one but the one God. The High Priests found themselves perplexed about what to do; after deliberations and prayers, they decided to betroth Her to a man who would agree to bear the name of a husband, without exercising his rights. The lot fell upon the righteous elder Joseph, and thus the Immaculate became a Spouse while remaining a Virgin, thereby uniting virginity and marriage, the blessing of the Old Covenant and the grace of the New Covenant. This mystery of betrothal served as a cover for a time, necessary for the accomplishment of the great mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. And how the mystery of the God's incarnation was fulfilled is known from the Gospel. The Virgin declared: "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord" (Luke 1:38), and the power of the Most High overshadowed Her, and the Word became flesh. This was the mystery of all mysteries, but it did not conclude the mysteries that were to be accomplished over Her. They merely deepened, becoming more invisible, while remaining highly instructive and comforting for us.
Behind these mysteries lies the mystery of the Crucifixion. On the Cross there was not only the Son, but also the Mother. Throughout her entire life, she was on the cross, and especially on Golgotha. It could not have been otherwise. For the Divine Son Himself said: "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:38). Who could be more worthy of the Lord, other than His Mother? Therefore, no one has ever borne such a cross throughout their entire life as the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.
Her cross was not made of wood or matter, but of the sorrows and humiliations that the Mother of God endured until her very death. Prepared to be revealed as the Mother of the Creator of Heaven and earth, and greeted by the Archangel as blessed among women, she simultaneously had to suffer from the suspicion of the guardian of her virginity, as though she were an adulteress. Is this not a cross?
The time is approaching for her to give birth to the One whose kingdom will have no end, but there is no room for their family in the inns of Bethlehem, and she gives birth to Him in a cave and lays Him in a manger. Is this not a cross? The angels sing: "Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14), the shepherds and the magi worship and bring gifts, and the evil Herod seeks to kill the Child, and they are forced to flee by night to Egypt. Is this not a cross? And on Golgotha, what did her pure heart feel when her Son cried out in agony: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46). Here, without a doubt, the terrible prediction of Symeon was fulfilled in all its force: "A sword shall pierce through your own soul also" (Luke 2:35).
Following the mystery of the Crucifixion, John, the disciple of Christ, was adopted by the Mother of God, and she was brought into his home as the mother of this Apostle. Thus, throughout her life, it was predestined for her to remain in obscurity, bearing the lot of a simple, humble Christian woman. This contained a great Divine mystery. For it was of great significance that these remarkable words were spoken from the Cross: "Woman! Behold your son" (John 19:26). These words defined the character of the entire subsequent life of the Mother of God. When the divinity of the Son was revealed in all its glory with His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, and when the world began to bow before the name of the Crucified One, then the Mother of Jesus naturally stood before the greatest honor and glory befitting the Mother of the Son of God, the Savior of all mankind. No one, without a doubt, could be more deserving of all praise and reverence than Mary. However, the glory and honor bestowed upon the Blessed Virgin during Her earthly life would have deprived the Mother of a closer resemblance to the Divine Son, Who had nowhere to lay His head until the end of His life; such exaltation of Her would also have been accompanied by certain inconveniences in the matter of spreading the gospel.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Holy Church commands us not to grieve on the day of the Dormition of the Theotokos, but to rejoice, because in such a wondrous death of the Most Blessed Virgin, for the consolation of all, the power of the Lord appeared with special triumph, Who by His death and Resurrection crushed the sting of death and from the terrible and most painful made it joyful and blessed for His faithful followers. Here is the first reason for our joy.
Secondly, we rejoice in the Most Pure One, for after the trials and sufferings that filled Her life, as predicted by the righteous Symeon, She finally received a reward commensurate with Her virtue. The Most Pure Virgin, until the moment of Her blessed passing, humbled Herself, submitted, and endured; but from that point onward, from the day of Her Dormition, begins Her exaltation and glorification. Thus, at the tomb of the Mother of God, a new meaning of death, given by Him who rose from the grave, is revealed: having been a punishment for sin until now, it has now become a witness to virtue, a reward for the heroic deeds accomplished during life.
The third reason for joy is expressed in the Church hymn: "In prayers to the Ever-Vigilant Mother of God and through her intercessions, our steadfast hope shall not be held back by the grave and death." If during Her earthly life She was an Intercessor for the poor before Her Son, then after Her departure and ascension to heaven, the words She spoke to comfort those grieving for Her departure began to be fulfilled with all power: "I will not leave you orphaned after My departure – not only you, but I will visit, watch over, and aid the world and the needy." After Her departure, the Most Holy Virgin became the mightiest Intercessor and Protector for all, truly the Mother of the entire Christian world.
Remembering, dear brothers and sisters, the blessed end of the Mother of God, we must take care to worthily prepare ourselves for death, so that we meet it not with fear, but with joy; and for this we need constant remembrance of it. This remembrance will gradually prepare our soul for the transition to eternal life, detaching the heart from all sensual passionate earthly attachments. The Holy Fathers say: "Whoever has acquired the remembrance of death can never sin."
The second remedy against the fear of death is a clear conscience. A person with a clear conscience can calmly cross the threshold of eternity - physical death. Such a person can calmly say with righteous Symeon: "Now let Your servant depart in peace, O Master, according to Your word" (Luke 2:29). But whose conscience can be truly clear? The one who tried to live a truly Christian life, who was an obedient son of the Church, who reconciled with God and people, who prepared for death through the Mystery of Repentance, which removes the burden of sins weighing upon the conscience, and who partook of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Mystery of Communion.
The next powerful means for a person against the fear of death is his belief in the immortality of the soul. The body is destroyed and decays, but the spirit, created by God for immortality, remains to live forever.
The last and most powerful means is faith not only in the immortality of the soul, but also in the fact that there will be a time when it will be united with its resurrected, glorified body for eternal life beyond the grave – blessed for the righteous, tormenting for the sinners. Having a living faith in this truth, a Christian will not only not fear death, but will even greet it with joy when it comes to him. This living faith in the existence of eternal blessed life beyond the grave inspired countless multitudes of martyrs in the first centuries of Christianity and made death for them the most joyful event, despite the terrible torments.
Dear brothers and sisters, looking at the blessed repose of the Mother of God, let us strive to make our end peaceful by zeal in a virtuous life and contempt for vice. How did the Most Holy Virgin achieve such a blessed end? By the purity of chastity, the strictness of abstinence, constancy in prayer, humility and patience in difficult circumstances, trust in the Providence of God. Therefore, imitating the example of the Mother of God, go the narrow way that leads to eternal life. Yes, indeed, patience is necessary on this path. And therefore, strengthening yourself with hope in God, be patient in happiness, so as not to be carried away by deception; be patient in misfortune, so as not to fall into cowardice amidst severe trials. Endure all sorrows and illnesses and all the difficulties that must be endured in order to stand on the righteous path. "For he who endures to the end will be saved" (Matt. 10:22). By doing this, each of us will have true peace in our souls and the hope of a blessed, peaceful end; the last hour will not frighten us, and the end of this life will become for us the beginning of eternal life, and the grave will become a ladder to heaven. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
