Monday, December 26 : Nicholas Cabasilas

It was right that the Virgin should be associated with her Son in all that regards our salvation. Just as she gave him a share in her flesh and blood… so she shared all his suffering and pain… She was the first to be conformed to the death of the Saviour in a death like his (Rom 6,5) and that is why, before all others, she shared his resurrection. Indeed, when the Son had shattered the tyranny of hell, hers was the happiness of seeing him risen and hearing his greeting, and she accompanied him, insofar as she was able, until his departure into heaven. After his ascension, she occupied the place among the apostles and his other disciples left empty by the Saviour… Was not this position more fitting for his mother than for any other? Yet it was necessary that this most holy soul should be separated from its most sacred body. Having left it, she was united to the soul of her Son: created light united to light without beginning. And after her body had remained some time on earth, it, too, was carried up to heaven. For indeed it was right that it should follow the same path the Saviour had traversed, that it should shine out before the living and the dead, sanctify nature in all things and then receive the place that belonged to it. And so, for a short while, the tomb gave her shelter, then heaven received this new earth, this spiritual body, our life’s treasure, more worthy than the angels, more holy than the archangels. The throne was restored to the king, paradise to the tree of life, the world to the light, the tree to its fruit, the Mother to the Son: she was wholly worthy of all this since it was she who bore him. O blessed one! Who could find words to express the benefits you received from the Lord or those you poured out on all humankind?… Only on high can your wonders shine out, in that “new heaven” and “new earth” (Rev 21,1) where shines that Sun of justice (Mal 3,20) the darkness neither follows nor precedes. The Lord himself proclaims your wonders while the angels sing your praise.
maronite readings – rosary,team