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On the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin

ON THE ANNUNCIATION Of our most glorious Lady, the Theotokos.

50.791 Again, good news of joy, again, messages of freedom, again, a recall, again, a return, again a 50.792 voice of gladness, again, a release from slavery; an angel speaks with a virgin, because a serpent also spoke to a woman. 50.793 In the sixth month, he says, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a virgin betrothed to a man. Gabriel was sent to announce the universal salvation; Gabriel was sent, bearing to Adam the written decree of recall; Gabriel was sent to a virgin, that he might change the dishonor of the female sex into honor; Gabriel was sent, to prepare a worthy bridal chamber for the pure Bridegroom; Gabriel was sent to wed the creation to the Creator; Gabriel was sent to the living palace of the King of angels; Gabriel was sent to a virgin betrothed to Joseph, but kept for the Son; an bodiless servant was sent to an undefiled virgin; one free from sin was sent to one unsusceptible of corruption; a lamp was sent to announce the Sun of righteousness; the dawn was sent, running before the light of day; Gabriel was sent, declaring the one in the bosom of the Father, and in the arms of his mother; Gabriel was sent, showing the one on the throne and in the cave; a soldier was sent, proclaiming the mystery of the King; a mystery known by faith, not investigated by curiosity; a mystery adored, not weighed; a mystery theologized, not scrutinized; a mystery confessed, not measured. In the sixth month Gabriel was sent to a virgin.

Which sixth month does he mean? Which? From when Elizabeth received the good news, from when she conceived John. How is this clear? Let the archangel himself explain, saying to the virgin: Behold, he says, Elizabeth your kinswoman, she also has conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. In the sixth month. The sixth month of the conception of John. For it was necessary for the soldier to arrive first, it was necessary for the spear-bearer to precede, it was necessary for the herald of the Lord's coming to prepare the way. In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin betrothed to a man, not joined to him; betrothed indeed, but kept. Why betrothed? So that the Robber might not quickly learn the mystery. For that the King would come through a virgin, the Evil One knew; for he himself had heard the words of Isaiah, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive in her womb;" and so he reasonably watched the utterances of the virgin, so that, where he would perceive that this mystery was being fulfilled, he might prepare his reproach. For this reason the Master came through one who was betrothed; for she who was betrothed was then under guarantee. In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph.

Hear what the prophet says concerning this man and the virgin. The sealed book shall be given to a man who knows letters. What is the sealed book, if not certainly the undefiled virgin? By whom will it be given? By the priests, clearly. To whom? To Joseph the carpenter. This Joseph, having been previously joined in a respectable marriage, and having fathered sons, lost his wife, and thenceforth lived in continence, raising his children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Indeed, the apostle Paul, having come to the preaching, and having found one of his sons, writes saying: But I saw none of the other apostles except James

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In annuntiationem beatae virginis

ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΣΜΟΝ Τῆς ὑπερενδόξου ∆εσποίνης ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου.

50.791 Πάλιν χαρᾶς εὐαγγέλια, πάλιν ἐλευθερίας μηνύματα, πάλιν ἀνάκλησις, πάλιν ἐπάνοδος, πάλιν εὐ 50.792 φροσύνης φωνὴ, πάλιν δουλείας ἀπαλλαγή· ἄγγελος μετὰ παρθένου λαλεῖ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ γυναικὶ ὡμίλησεν 50.793 ὁ ὄφις. Τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ, φησὶν, ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος Γαβριὴλ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς παρθένον μεμνηστευμένην ἀνδρί. Ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ τὴν παγκόσμιον μηνῦσαι σωτηρίαν· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ, φέρων τῷ Ἀδὰμ ὑπογραφὴν ἀνακλήσεως· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ πρὸς παρθένον, ἵνα τὴν ἀτιμίαν τοῦ θήλεος εἰς τιμὴν μεταβάλλῃ· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ, ἄξιον εὐτρεπίσαι τῷ καθαρῷ νυμφίῳ τὸν θάλαμον· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ νυμφεύσασθαι τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ πρὸς τὸ ἔμψυχον τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν ἀγγέλων παλάτιον· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ πρὸς παρθένον μεμνηστευμένην μὲν τῷ Ἰωσὴφ, τηρουμένην δὲ τῷ Υἱῷ· ἀπεστάλη δοῦλος ἀσώματος πρὸς παρθένον ἀμόλυντον· ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἁμαρτίας ἐλεύθερος πρὸς τὴν φθορᾶ, ἀνεπίδεκτον· ἀπεστάλη λύχνος μηνῦσαι τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης· ἀπεστάλη ὄρθρος προτρέχων τοῦ φωτὸς τῆς ἡμέρας· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ δηλῶν τὸν ἐν κόλποις τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἐν ἀγκάλαις τῆς μητρός· ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ, δεικνὺς τὸν ἐν θρόνῳ καὶ ἐν σπηλαίῳ· ἀπεστάλη στρατιώτης, βοῶν τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως μυστήριον· μυστήριον γνωριζόμενον πίστει, οὐκ ἐρευνώμενον πολυπραγμοσύνῃ· μυστήριον προσκυνούμενον, οὐ ζυγοστατούμενον· μυστήριον θεολογούμενον, οὐκ ἐρευνώμενον· μυστήριον ὁμολογούμενον, οὐ μετρούμενον. Τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀπεστάλη Γαβριὴλ πρὸς παρθένον.

Ποῖον ἕκτον μῆνα λέγει; ποῖον; Ἀφ' οὗ ἐδέξατο Ἐλισάβετ τὰ εὐαγγέλια, ἀφ' οὗ τὸν Ἰωάννην συνέλαβε. Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; Ἑρμηνευέτω αὐτὸς ὁ ἀρχάγγελος, πρὸς τὴν παρθένον λέγων· Ἰδοὺ, φησὶν, Ἐλισάβετ ἡ συγγενής σου, καὶ αὐτὴ συνειληφυῖα υἱόν· καὶ οὗτος μὴν ἕκτος αὐτῇ τῇ καλουμένῃ στείρᾳ. Τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ. Ἕκτος μὴν τῆς συλλήψεως τοῦ Ἰωάννου. Ἔδει γὰρπροφθάσαι τὸν στρατιώτην, ἔδει προλαβεῖν τὸν δορυφόρον, ἔδει προοδοποιῆσαι τὸν μηνυτὴν τῆς ∆εσποτικῆς παρουσίας. Τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος Γαβριὴλ πρὸς παρθένον μεμνηστευμένην ἀνδρὶ, οὐ συνημμένην· μεμνηστευμένην μὲν, τηρουμένην δέ. ∆ιὰ τί μεμνηστευμένην; Ἵνα μὴ τάχιον μάθῃ ὁ Λῃστὴς τὸ μυστήριον. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ διὰ παρθένου ἥξει ὁ Βασιλεὺς, ᾔδει ὁ Πονηρός· τῶν γὰρ Ἡσαΐου καὶ αὐτὸς ἠκούσατο φωνῶν, τὸ, Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει· καὶ ἕκαστα εἰκότως παρετήρει τῆς παρθένου τὰ προφθέγματα, ἵν', ὅπου νοήσει ὅτι πληροῦται τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο, ἐξαρτύσῃ τὸν ψόγον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὁ ∆εσπότης διὰ μεμνηστευμένης ἐλήλυθεν· ἡ γὰρ μνηστευθεῖσα λοιπὸν κατηγγυᾶτο. Τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος Γαβριὴλ πρὸς παρθένον μεμνηστευμένην ἀνδρὶ, ᾧ ὄνομα Ἰωσήφ.

Ἄκουσον τί περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου καὶ τῆς παρθένου ὁ προφήτης φησί. ∆οθήσεται τὸ ἐσφραγισμένον βιβλίον ἀνδρὶ εἰδότι γράμματα. Τί τὸ ἐσφραγισμένον βιβλίον, ἢ πάντως ἡ ἀμόλυντος παρθένος; Παρὰ τίνων δοθήσεται; Παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων δηλονότι. Τίνι τοῦτο; Τῷ τέκτονι Ἰωσήφ. Οὗτος ὁ Ἰωσὴφ σεμνοῖς γάμοις προσομιλήσας πρότερον, καὶ γεννήσας υἱοὺς, ἀπεβάλλετο τὴν γαμετὴν, καὶ λοιπὸν διῆγεν ἐν σωφροσύνῃ, ἐκτρέφων τοὺς παῖδας ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου. Ἀμέλει γοῦν παρελθὼν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα ὁ ἀπόστολος Παῦλος, καὶ ἕνα τῶν τούτου εὑρηκὼς υἱῶν, γράφει λέγων· Ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον