On the Meeting of the Lord
In occursum domini
The Marriage Fruit and the Virginity of Christ§1
1On the encounter of Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, with the Theotokos and with Simeon and Anna.
Many great men marvel at the virginity; for it is wonderful as a companion of the angels, as one sharing in the higher powers, as a co-dweller with the incorporeal natures, as a torch-bearer of the holy church, as one conquering the world, as one treading upon the passions, as one bridling the desires, as one not sharing with the flesh, as one having been freed from sorrow, as one having received purity, as one having been liberated from sighs, as one not accepting the stinging decision of the condemned (Gen 3:16): 'Multiplying your sorrows and your sighs; in sorrows you shall bear children and your turning shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you.' Truly, the virginity is also wonderful as an unslavable possession, as a free habitation, as an ascetic ornament, as being above human disposition, as having been released from suffering by necessity, as entering into the bridal chamber of the kingdom of the heavens with the bridegroom Christ.
And these are the praises of the virginity and those near to them. But the honorable marriage surpasses every gift of the earth, as a fruitful tree, as a most beautiful plant, as the root of the virginity, as a cultivator of the rational and living branches, as a blessing of the growth of the world, as a comforter of the race, as the creator of humanity, as a painter of the divine icon, as one having acquired the one blessing the Lord, as one receiving to bear the whole world, as living for Him whom He willed to become man, as one able to say with boldness: 'Behold, I and the children which God hath given me' (Isa 8:18). Leave aside the honorable marriage and you will not find the flower of the virginity; for from there, and not from elsewhere, the flower of the virginity is gathered. And saying these things, we do not introduce a strife between virginity and marriage; but we marvel at each of them as being mutually necessary. Since of each, the Lord is the provider,
One does not conflict with the other; for it holds to all the respective parts of godliness. For apart from pious godliness, neither is noble virginity nor is marriage honorable. These things were brought forward to me by the word, having been written in the law, confirmed in grace, spoken generally, not found generally, and fulfilled in the Lord alone; concerning the marriage fruit, I speak of a first-fruit.
Of what kind? You heard recently the Evangelist saying: 'And it came to pass when the days were fulfilled eight to circumcise the child, and his name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel before he was conceived' (Luke 2:21). And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, he brought him into the temple and presented him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord' (Exodus 13:2).
Did you see the blessing of marriage and that which is spoken generally but found in the Lord alone? That which, 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord' (Exodus 13:2), has its reference to the Lord alone, and not even to any other, even if it is said universally. For indeed every nature of a virgin is first opened by the union of a man; the womb and thus it bears. But concerning our Savior, it is not so, but having opened the womb of the virgin himself without union, he proceeded ineffably, so that the: 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord' (Exodus 13:2) refers to the Lord alone.
Is Cain holy, he who rejected living in uncleanness, since before all others he became the first-fruit of the maternal womb? Is Esau holy, the enemy and heir of the sword, since he too was the first to fall from the maternal nest? Is Reuben holy, he who insulted the paternal bed and sought the decision of a curse, since he too was the first to come forth from the many-children womb of Leah? None of these are holy; all these are in punishments. From which
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The Greatness of Anna the Prophetess§2
2It is shown that this has reference to the Lord: 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,' according to Gabriel who spoke to the Virgin: 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, therefore the one being born shall be called holy, the Son of God' (Luke 1:35). One might say of the opponents, that if this refers to the Lord: 'Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,' the virgin did not remain a virgin.
For the Scripture spoke: 'Every male opening a womb'; the virginal womb was certainly opened, if it has reference to the Lord. Listen intelligently: regarding the virginal nature, the virginal gates were not opened at all, by the will of having been fully impregnated according to what is clearly said about him: 'This is the gate of the Lord; he will enter and go out, and the gate will be shut' (Ezekiel 44:2). Just as regarding the virginal nature the virginal gates were not opened at all, regarding the power of the born Lord nothing is shut to the Lord, but all things are opened. Nothing is hindering, nothing is troubling; all things are opened to the Lord. Therefore also the highest powers above have cried out to guarantee the lower ones, saying: 'Lift up your gates, O rulers, and the King of Glory will enter' (Psalm 24:7).
Marvellous indeed is the virginity, the true virginity, since there is also a difference even in virginity: some having slumbered, and others having kept watch. Marvellous also is the marriage, the true marriage and precious; for many kept watch and many stumbled. And marvellous also is the widowhood; for it is beautiful to remember among the three ranks. And, as I said before, marvellous also is the widowhood, the true widowhood, which has conquered the contest of the undefiled struggles; such as what has been read to us fully, Anna the prophetess, who aged well and was renewed like an eagle.
Did you hear clearly the Evangelist Luke saying: 'And there was Anna the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; this one having advanced in many days, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and this one a widow until eighty-four years old' (Luke 2:36-37)?
..., who served in fasts and prayers in the temple night and day. Have you seen what the widow Anna is praised for in the divine Gospels? Thus, Anna the Anna; the distinction of her name joined with the excellence of her ways. Let the women hear and let them zealously imitate the glorious Anna, that they may run the same course and enjoy equal crowns. Let no one make an excuse to avoid the purity of monogamy.
Anna is the crown of widows; woman is her form, prophetess is her rank; living in widowhood, being nourished in the kingdom; her body having been purified, her soul having been strengthened; her countenance having been made bright, her mind having been disciplined; bending with age, yet walking uprightly in knowledge; having been made old by many years, yet trembling with the knowledge of God; fasting and not eating gluttonously; praying and not being sluggish; attending to the temple, not running about in the houses of others; singing, not babbling; prophesying, not mythologizing; studying the divine things, not bringing forward the unseemly. Anna surpassed the widow blessed by the Apostle. Which one is this? Hear Paul saying: 'Let a widow not less than sixty years old be taken, if she has raised children, if she has washed the feet of saints, if she has devoted herself to prayer, if she has followed every good work' (1 Timothy 5:9-10). This one surpassed the one blessed by the Apostle, both in years and in her way of life.
For having been worthy of prophecy and having become a vessel of the Holy Spirit, and having signaled to all those awaiting the incarnate presence of the Lord the symbols of that presence, how did she not exceed all that the Evangelist has said about her, as you have clearly heard? And this Anna, he says, appearing to her at that very hour, was giving thanks to the Lord and was speaking to all those awaiting redemption in Jerusalem. Have you seen the greatness of Anna? She was a helper for the Lord, speaking about Him in His very presence. Oh, the paradoxical things! A widow, yet she was rebuking the high priests and scribes and was greatly encouraging all the people, signaling the redemption that was to be in Jerusalem by the Lord.
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The Virtue of Hannah and the Second Marriage§3
3With oversight, saying to those present and signifying the symbols of the Lord. Anna saw the child, gifts and pure things being offered for him and with him, and she did not pay attention to the smallness of his age; Anna confessed the child as God, a physician, a strong redeemer, an abolisher of sins.
Do not merely run through Anna's words. Signifying the energy of the Lord to all those present, she said to those gathered: Do you not see this child drawing the mass, borrowing the breast, resting in maternal wombs, not yet accepting to tread the earth with his feet? Do you not see this child? This one founded the ages, this one arched the heavens, this one spread out the earth, this one carved the sea with sand. This child casts winds from his treasuries, this child opened the floodgates of the deluge upon Noah, this child works the columns of rain, this child shakes a snow like wool, this child freed our forefathers from the land of Egypt through the Mosaic staff, this child brought up the Red Sea and led them through as if through a lush field, and in the desert bequeathed the manna, a land flowing with milk and honey; this child prepared this temple to be raised on high through the fathers, this child, setting an oath to Abraham, said: 'Multiplying, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand by the seashore' (Gen 22:17). Concerning this child, the prophetic choir, offering encouragement, said: 'Awaken your power and come to save us.' No, because he is a child, do not stumble at the child.
The same is both child and co-ruler with the Father, the same is counted together with the ages, the same is unbegotten, the same is a child chirping, the same grants mouth and wisdom; for the one is so through the birth from the virgin, and the other is so through the incomprehensibility of His existence. Since Isaiah also presented this to you, saying: 'A child was born...' (Isa 9:6).
It was ours, a son, and it was given to us. That which was born, and that which was given; the one through what is seen, the other through what is understood. These are the prophecies of Hannah, these the praises of the woman, these the achievements of the widow—the true widow, having exchanged her life well, having sent forth her husband and having received the Lord.
She lived with her husband for seven years, having fulfilled a week of years from her virginity, and in the seventh year having ceased the manly intercourse. She well observed the Sabbath, and well took hold of the Lord's day of grace. Hannah came in the order of a harvest; she did not make a forgetting of her husband, she did not reject the first faith, she did not bring an insolent man to her bed, she did not yield the wood of monogamy to another. She kept in her bed the memory, as if the dead man were living; she did not defile the bridal shroud, nor did the reproach of Paul touch her, saying: 'But when they have become faithless to Christ, they wish to marry, having a judgment that they rejected the first faith' (1 Timothy 5:11-12). Truly, such a judgment is worthy of her who buried the memory with her God-wedded husband, and especially in the presence of a child or children, for this reason also the law of marriage is fruit-bearing; if, however, there is no child present to the new widow, it is likely that she is driven toward a second marriage by the passion of motherly love. Since even this, the blessed Paul has cried out advising: 'I wish younger widows to marry' (1 Timothy 5:14); then, showing what the symbol of the progress of a second marriage is, he added saying: 'I wish younger widows to marry, to bear children, to rule households' (1 Timothy 5:14). Thus, regarding child-rearing is the addition of the second marriage; when, however, there are children present to the new widow rushing toward marriage, such a seed is superfluous of the logical ears of grain being cut down.
Again, therefore, let us return to the word: what then is the evangelist? For it is good to take hold of the whole matter. You have heard recently the evangelist Luke saying how Simeon said to the virgin: 'Behold, this is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign opposed, and a sword will pierce even your own soul' (Luke 2:34-35). What is it: 'And a sword will pierce even your own soul'?
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The Sword of Thoughts and the Sign of the Cross§4
4a sign of contradiction
Simeon called forth the sword of the Virgin's thoughts as striking the inward parts, as approaching scandals, just as the Lord foretold: 'All shall be scandalized in me in this night' (Matthew 26:31). Therefore Simeon also brought forward, saying: 'And from her soul a sword shall pierce' (Luke 2:35), so that thoughts might be revealed from many hearts. Do you see how he called the inexperienced thoughts a sword of thoughts striking the inward parts, approaching the kidneys and marrow? But the Virgin was surrounded by these, not yet knowing the power of the resurrection and that the resurrection does not yet come from neighbors. Therefore after the resurrection, the sword is no longer biting, but joy and gladness.
Thus the sign of the cross was called forth by Simeon as a sign of contradiction, at that time the sword of thoughts pierced the soul of the Virgin. And where is the proof for us? From the teachings of the Lord himself. Listen to him saying: 'This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet' (Matt 12:39). For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights (Matt 12:40). Do you see how the cruciform passion was called forth as a sign, not only in the new covenant, but also in the old? For the old agrees exceedingly with the new, since he is the one and the same God who there legislated and here rewarded. And who is witness to this? The Lord himself. Listen to him saying in the prophet Ezekiel to the harvesting angels, indicating the universal conclusion: 'Do not spare your eyes, and do not have mercy, neither an old man nor a young man nor a maiden nor a child, but kill women to complete them; but those coming upon the foreheads, do not touch the sign' (Ezek 9:6). See the sign of the old and the new. For it is the cross that saves the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to him be the glory and the power unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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