The Placing of the Precious Robe of Our Most Holy Lady and the Mother of God in the Church at Blachernae in Constantinople; Verkhrats’ka Weeping Icon of the Mother of God (1688)
Hebrew 9:1-7; Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28
Polyeleos Feast.
Read Hebrew 9:1-7
Today’s epistle reading is proper to today’s feast of the Deposition of the Precious Robe of the Mother of God. Though the Apostle was writing specifically about the worship in the Temple, the Church understands this as also telling us about the Mother of God.
And, indeed, she is the Holy Place, because she contained the God within her womb. She is the Ark of the Covenant because she carried the Law. She is the golden urn holding the Bread which surpasses the manna which rained down in the desert.
We sing these praises to the Mother of God because the Lord Jesus Christ made her worthy of them. As a central element of His plan of salvation, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the spotless vessel through which His Son would enter creation and save it. She was kept free from all sin for her entire existence, from her conception through to her death and bodily translation into heaven.
We gladly and freely sing her praises—and in doing so we worship Him Who made her worthy of such praise.
She also gave us the most important lessons we can learn for our own salvation. She freely assented to God’s will and always trusted in His goodness and mercy. At the Annunciation, though almost certainly afraid, she gave her consent to be the vessel of the Anointed One. At the Crucifixion, while watching in horror as her Son was so mercilessly executed, she trusted in God’s plan. She is our example in faith and our refuge in times of distress. She lifts our concerns and our hopes, our sorrows and our joys to her Son.
On this feast day of the Mother of God, may we turn our hearts and our voices towards her, who carried within her womb the Creator of the Universe and Saviour of our souls!