Thursday, August 15 : Saint John Damascene

O Mother of God, ever virgin, your holy departure from this world is in truth a way and an entry into the dwelling place of God. Leaving this material world, you enter into “a better country” (Heb 11:16) where the heavenly powers greet you with sacred canticles and joyous praise, saying: “Who is this most pure creature who rises up, shining like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, radiant as the sun?” (Sg 8:5; 6:10)… “The king has brought you into his chambers” (Sg 1:4) and angels magnify her who, according to God’s design, is their true mother, by nature and grace, of their very Lord… The apostles bore your stainless body, the true Ark of the Covenant, and laid it in its holy tomb. And there, as though across another Jordan, you came to the real Land of promise, I might even say to the “Jerusalem above”, mother of believers (Gal 4:26), of which God is the architect and builder. Your soul most certainly “did not go down into the netherworld, nor has your flesh itself experienced corruption” (Ps 15[16]:10; Acts 2:31). Your pure and spotless body was not left within the earth but you, Queen, Sovereign, Lady, Mother of God, true Godbearer, have been lifted to the dwellings of the heavenly Kingdom… We approach you, O our Queen, Mother of God and Virgin, on this day; we turn our souls towards the hope you represent for us… We wish to honor you with “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph 5:19). In thus honoring the servant we express our dedication to our common Lord… Cast your eyes upon us, O Queen, mother of our kind Sovereign; guide our way into the calm harbor of God’s good will.

maronite readings – rosary,team