1st Homily on the Annunciation - St. Photios of Constantinople
The joyous feast of this day carries a bright celebration to all the ends of the earth and announces a joy that ends ancient sorrow, cancels the condemnation of the world, establishes the resurrection of the once fallen, and promises salvation to us all. The Angel converses with the Virgin, and - the serpent's malice is nullified, and his cunning assault is repelled. The Angel converses with the Virgin, and Eve's deception (2 Corinthians 11:3) loses its power, the condemned nature is exalted above the judgment as before, and is enriched with the acquisition of Paradise as its inheritance (Acts 26:18). The Angel converses with the Virgin, and Adam gains his freedom, the evil instigator - the serpent is stripped of his power over mankind and now knows that he fought in vain against creation; for his schemes hold no power against us, after our bodiless nature received the news of the invincible sign of triumph over sin - Christ's cross and His voluntary suffering in the flesh (which the angel now announces), by which death and sin are triumphantly swallowed up (1 Corinthians 15:54). The Angel is sent to the Virgin, and human nature is renewed: for, having received the good news of salvation and as if having taken a healing remedy, it completely expels the serpent's poison from itself and is cleansed from the signs of illness. The Angel is sent to the Virgin, and the handwriting of sin is torn apart, the punishment for disobedience is lifted, and the call to all is proclaimed. Now is the proclamation of joy, because the archangel speaks with the Virgin, because with Mary, espoused to Joseph but predestined and preserved for Jesus, converses the chief commander of the heavenly forces. But what does he speak of and what does he bring with him? What indeed? Oh, the sense of the great mystery is incomprehensible, and the image of the miraculous speech is indescribable! Yet, I am compelled to say what he announced, and I faint in spirit with fear. I tremble at the outset, measuring the abyss of divine philanthropy, I am daunted, urged to explore the depth of divine economy. And my mind is perplexed to begin, the faculty of speech disappears, my tongue does not obey. But thou, the wisest among the evangelists, begin here with me, inspire me with courage by thy defense.
"In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee" (Luke 1:26-28). Seest thou what he brings and what he announces? Seest thou the reason for the conversation? Rejoice, he says, highly favored one, the Lord is with thee. Oh, wondrous mystery, surpassing all understanding and all reason! Oh, a mystery worthy of faith, not curiosity, of wonder, not inquiry, of adoration, not exploration, of glorification, not investigation, of honor, not assessment, of love, not comprehension. The Angel is sent to the Virgin - to reveal the coming of the Lord, to announce the manifestation of God among men, to proclaim the restoration of our image. The Angel is sent to the Virgin - to announce the way of the Lord, and the Lord is present in it. The Angel brings the good news, and the Lord concurs with his words. The Angel calls to the Virgin: Rejoice, highly favored one, and indeed the Lord fills her with joy. He Himself proclaims to the Virgin: Rejoice, highly favored one, and the whole world rejoices in the fruits of this joy. He opens to the Most Pure Virgin the joy, but the Virgin is perplexed by the uniqueness of the greeting, while all creation celebrates the salvific proclamation. The Honorable Virgin is perplexed but not distanced, perplexed by the words but does not reject the good deed. "When she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be" (Luke 1:29). She was troubled but pondered the meaning of the greeting: what manner of salutation this should be. "I see," says the Virgin, "that the greeting goes beyond usual limits, surpasses the laws of nature, and is unlike human affairs: what manner of salutation this should be. I see the reverently standing messenger ready to joyfully receive his message, but he speaks of marital matters, changes joy into fear, and perplexes My soul with this news. I see that his countenance is modest, but he speaks to Me of a bridegroom. I see that he converses sensibly, but he utters words of conception, and the love of virginity prompts me to suspect deception: what manner of salutation this should be. Therefore, I am troubled, weighing this matter equally: on one hand, the appearance of the messenger and his modesty indicate that the message is from God, on the other - the talks of a bridegroom prompt not to agree with the messenger." Therefore, the evangelist says: "When she saw him, she was troubled." What did the Virgin see and why was she troubled? She saw an angel looking at Her with pure eyes, but brought Her news of a husband, gazing with an immaculate look but speaking of a marital contract. Seeing this, the Holy Virgin was perplexed by conflicting thoughts, seized with chaste fear, marveled at the strangeness of the greeting.
But what does the angel say to her? Did he leave Her to be perplexed by contradictory thoughts? Did he not notice that She was overwhelmed by waves of doubts? And how could he be an unkind executor of the command? Would it not be unjust if he were punished for leaving the Virgin perplexed? What then does he say? "Fear not, Mary" (Luke 1:30): "I appeared not for deception to converse with Thee, but to proclaim the destruction of deception; not to lead into error, I stood before thee, but to announce liberation from deceit, not to take away thy spotless virginity I came, but to proclaim the coming of the Creator and Protector of virginity. Fear not, Mary: I am not a servant of the cunning serpent, but a messenger of the destroyer (Hebrews 2:14) of the serpent; his speech injected poison into human nature and, mixing death, poured destruction upon all, but I, by the Lord's command, appeared to graft onto the fallen (Romans 11:22-23) the infinite life, by which the disease is extracted from the race and bliss in paradise is bestowed; that by the pretense of divinity persuaded Adam to disobedience and in exchange for a carefree life arranged for him a life filled with arduous labor, but I proclaim that the Creator of all in Thy virgin and immaculate womb will truly make man godlike and will annihilate the deception of godliness. I stood as a good messenger, not an evil one, I am the cause of joy, not sorrow, I proclaim salvation, not destruction. Fear not, Mary: by divine command, I heal Thy thoughts, I will loosen the bonds of perplexity. "Thou hast found favour with God" (Luke 1:30): this greeting is the work of God's grace, not nature, divine grace, not human decision and bodily communion, grace surpassing human understanding; therefore, whenever thou, man, hearest of grace, think not that this gift was given to the Virgin in vain, and consider it not an excessive generosity. The Virgin found grace with God because she made herself worthy of the Creator and, adorning her soul with the virtue of purity, and prepared herself as a pleasing dwelling for the Word, who established the heavens (Psalm 33:6). She found grace with God because she preserved not only pure virginity but also an immaculate heart and will, because from childhood she was dedicated to God and served the King of glory as a temple animated and not made with hands, which was created by the purity of the body, the brilliance of virginity, unblemished chastity, holiness of will, steadfastness of soul against sin, unshakeability in virtue. Therefore, "thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son" (Luke 1:31), whom the cherubim tremble to praise, whom the ranks of angels dread to see and all creation cannot contain. "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son," the Creator of thine undamaged womb, not violating virginity, but reinforcing the keys of virginity. "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb" Him who exists everywhere and is contained nowhere, whom only Thy womb can spaciously contain. "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb" the Creator of thy forefather. Of Thee and the prophet exclaimed, saying: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel," "which being interpreted is, God with us." "The mighty God, ...The Prince of Peace, The Father of the future age" (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 9:6). Foretold about Thee and now I proclaim to Thee, not conveying pleasant tidings of mine own, but also fulfilling the commandment of Him who sent me. He inspired the prophet Isaiah to prophesy about Thee and again today entrusted me to proclaim the outcome of that prophecy which is to be fulfilled. "And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Emmanuel," "which being interpreted is, God with us." Since from Him shall come salvation, they shall call Him Jesus, who saved them from their sins: from the benefaction – the designation, from the meaning – the name, from the deeds – the good fame. They shall call Him Jesus, because from Him flows the inexhaustible wealth of salvation, because by Him the sting of death is crushed and the grace of immortality is bestowed (1 Corinthians 15:54,56), the dominion of sin falls, and the nature of the fallen triumphs. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest" (Luke 1:32). "He shall be great," as He was, though He assumed humble flesh and was clad in abased body. "He shall be great," for the apprehension of humanity shall not diminish the greatness of divinity, but humble humanity is exalted from communion with divinity. "He shall be great" even after the Incarnation (John 1:14), as well as after the labors (John 4:6), sweat, falling to the ground as drops of blood (Luke 22:44), and the like, which flesh ordinarily endures. Therefore, though thou learnest that He thirsts, labors, undergoes humiliations and scourging, finally, is crucified, died, and buried, admit nothing unworthy of God regarding the divine Word, for "He shall be great," as He was, though by the law of our nature, by His flesh, He voluntarily assumed fleshly properties. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest," that is, thou shalt not name and give Him a name, but He shall be named. And by whom shall He be called? Clearly, by the co-essential and fully-knowing divine nature of th Father, because "no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither the Father any man knoweth, but the Son" (Matthew 11:27). For, from Whom the inexpressible and eternal birth of the Son, He possesses the true understanding of Him, with Whom true knowledge of the Begotten, He is worthy to give Him a fitting name. Therefore, God of all and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ also says: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him" (Matthew 17:5). Thus, He is always, though now, for our instruction and understanding, a name is given to Him; therefore, it says – shall be called, and not will be, because before the ages He sat on the throne with the co-essential Father. Thou shalt conceive Him in thy womb and shalt be proclaimed His mother; Thy virgin womb will contain Him, whom the heavenly expanse could not contain, Who with His hand (Isaiah 40:12) embraces all and by Whose providence all exists and is preserved; Him shalt thou "conceive in thy womb".
But what sayeth the Most Holy Virgin in reply? Was she immediately captivated by the words, or, having joyously inclined her ear, did she express her agreement without any hesitation? No. But what saith she? "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34). How shall I have a son, whose father is unknown? - "But who can declare the counsel of the Lord? Who dareth to point out the reason for the royal command and to unfold the meaning of the mysterious edifice? Who can proclaim the manner of the wondrous birth? Who is able to investigate the unfathomable mystery? "How shall this be?" - One thing I know, one thing am I taught, one thing am I sent to say, and this I speak: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee" (Luke 1:35). He (the Spirit) shall teach thee and explain how thou shalt conceive. He, as co-regent, is a participant in the Lord's counsel, but I am a servant, an executor of His commands, not an interpreter thereof; a minister of His will, but not an expounder thereof. He governeth all things, for "the Spirit... searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10), but I do only exclaim - "Hail, thou that art highly favoured", I sing of the miracle, I worship thy Son, but cannot elucidate the manner of conception. If thou desirest to strengthen faith in the prophecy with examples, likening the great to the small and assuring the future based on the past, then (I tell thee) thou "shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son" just as "Aaron's rod budded" (Numbers 17:8), as rain descended from heaven upon the fleece (Psalm 72:6), and as dew was on the fleece alone and all the earth was dry (Judges 6:37). This was foretold also by thy forefather David, saying: "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth" (Psalm 72:6). As fire encompassed the bush and it, nourishing the flame, was not consumed (Exodus 3:2): so shalt thou conceive a Son, grant Him flesh and nourishment with immaterial fire, and in return receive immortality. All this prefigured thy conception, elucidated thy birth, and from of old depicted it. If thou wilt, thou hast an example in thy kinswoman Elizabeth: "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:36–37). God loosens the bonds of barrenness, is able to regenerate the barren root into a fruitful tree, and make the dry land a fruitful ground". This the archangel said to the Most Pure Virgin. What then did the Immaculate Virgin, the heavenly chamber, the holy mountain, the sealed fountain (Song of Solomon 4:12), preserved for the only one who sealed it, reply? - "Thou hast clearly told Me: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, therefore I no longer contradict or object: "be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). If I am deemed pleasing unto the Lord, then with joy I submit to His will; if it pleaseth the Creator to make His creation His temple, then let Him create for Himself a dwelling as He hath willed; if the Creator resteth in His creation, then let Him vivify in Me His flesh, as He knows and desires: "behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38) - let thy words about Me be fulfilled in deed, let them prove to be consistent with reality".
The Holy and Immaculate Virgin, having expressed her obedience to the Lord's messenger with these words, ended the conversation. And what shall we add of our own to the Virgin? What joyful praises shall we compose in Her honor? What other than those, the foundation of which was first given to us by the archangel Gabriel, saying: "Hail, thou that art highly favoured: the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Luke 1:28, 42). Rejoice, because from Thee hath shone unto us the Sun of Righteousness, which hath illuminated the heavenly and earthly world, dispelled the darkness of sin, and covered the universe with the radiance of grace. Rejoice, thou full of grace, because Thou, having unfarmedly raised unto us the soul-nourishing tree, eradicated the seeds of soul-damaging lineage. Rejoice, because Thou hast given us the bread of life for salvific sustenance, eradicating, like leaven (Exodus 12:15), the destruction of death-bringing food. Rejoice, because Thou hast grown for us the fruit-bearing tree of life (Revelation 22:14), drying up the shoots of the tree of consumption (Genesis 3:6) and bestowing the sweetness of knowledge. Rejoice, thou full of grace, because Thou hast preserved "the pearl of great price" (Matthew 13:46) and spread the wealth of salvation "to the ends of the universe" (Psalm 19:4). "Blessed art thou among women", because thou hast called back the consequence of woman's fall, changing the reproach of sin into the praise of the race, - because once the Creator formed Adam from the virgin soil and now in Thee, O Virgin, recreates man, because Thou, having woven the garment of the Word from flesh, covered the nakedness of the first-created (Wisdom 7:1). But why enumerate separately? "Rejoice, thou full of grace", because with Thee was accomplished the superhuman deed and for Thy sake unto us were abundantly poured forth the mercies of all manner of blessings. And now thou, O Virgin and Mother, reveal unto us a new and wondrous act - grant unto us Thine intercession and advocacy, send thy help and protection. Strengthen thy faithful servant and our pious king in virtue and piety, wisely guiding in the governance of the helm of this kingdom and making him an heir of the future kingdom of Christ the true God our, Thy Son and Lord (1 John 5:20; Jude 1:4; James 2:5); may it be granted to all of us to attain that kingdom by the grace and philanthropy of Christ the true God our, seedlessly conceived, unspeakably grown in the womb, and incomprehensibly born. For "He hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3), and unto Him we send up glory and worship with the co-eternal and consubstantial Father, with the life-originating, consubstantial, and co-eternal Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.