🕂 The Placing of the Precious Robe of Our Most Holy Lady and the Mother of God in Blachernae.
Polyeleos Feast.
Hebrews 9:1-7; Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28.
Read Hebrews 9:1-7
Today is commemorated The Placing of the Precious Robe of Our Most Holy Lady and the Mother of God in Blachernae. This Epistle reading to the Hebrews is also read on the feast day of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple on November 21st. Also the Gospel that is read today about Martha and Mary is almost always read when the Most Holy Mother of God is commemorated and it includes those two beautiful final sentences, “While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’” Mary, the Most Holy Bearer of God, who is “Full of Grace” is the example of the woman who does both perfectly.
Today’s section of St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, that describes the Mosaic tabernacle, has been the source of the elevation of the human spirit into the realm of beauty as the being of Holy Mother Mary is contemplated within the Tradition of the Church. The following are examples of how the Tradition of the Church has done this as revealed in the words of the Akathist Hymn in Honour of the Mother of God:
Rejoice, O you through whom Joy will shine forth! Rejoice, celestial Ladder by whom God came down! Rejoice, O Bridge leading earthly ones to heaven! Rejoice, O you who gave birth to Light ineffably! Rejoice, O Tendril whose Bud shall not wilt! Rejoice, O soil whose Fruit shall not perish! Rejoice, O Gardener of the Gardener of Life! Rejoice, O Table full-laden with appeasement! Rejoice, O Key to the doors of Paradise! Rejoice, for the heavenly rejoice with the earth! Rejoice, O shining emblem of grace! Rejoice, O Food who took the place of Manna! Rejoice, O Handmaid of Holy delight! Rejoice, O Blossom of incorruption! Rejoice, fruitful Tree from whom believers feed! Rejoice, O sacred Chariot of the One above the Cherubim! Rejoice, perfect Dwelling of the One above the Seraphim! Rejoice, O Container of God’s Wisdom! Rejoice, O Lamplight of knowledge to many! Rejoice, O Tabernacle of God the Word! Rejoice, O Ark that the Sprit has gilded!
And how does reflecting and contemplating on Holy Mother Mary’s beauty impact and direct the contemplation of our lives today? It properly elevates, esteems and honours the beauty of the feminine. It firmly establishes the awesomeness, beauty and miraculousness of life from the instant of conception. It anchors the purity, it’s beauty, dignity and sanctity of every human relationship. It illustrates and reveals how beautiful the human body is and how that body is the tabernacle of God’s Grace and Holy Spirit. This is just to illustrate a few!
The early Church Fathers even went so far as to say that it is not possible to correctly interpret scriptures without a deep understanding of the role Our Heavenly Holy Mother Mary has in salvation history. So yes, Mary is very important in our Faith! Most Holy Theotokos, save us!