The bush that Moses saw flaming with fire in the desert, the wood of which was not consumed, is a similitude of Mary, the spotless virgin. Incarnate within her, was the Word of the Father and the fire of the Godhead did not consume the virgin. After giving birth, her virginity was maintained and his Godhead was unchanged. He became truly a born man. The true God came and saved us. Ask for us Holy.
We magnify you, O our mother, mother of God. May your compassion be upon us all. Our object of boast, Virgin Mary mother of God, through you was destroyed the previous curse, which was upon our race due to the wickedness committed by the women when she ate from the tree. Through Eve the gates of heaven were shut; and through the virgin Mary they were once again opened. He gave to us to eat from the tree of life; that is the flesh of Christ, and his precious blood. Through his love for us, he came and saved us. What understanding, and what language, and whose ears are able to comprehend this marvellous mystery, which is proclaimed about him. God is the lover of men. One is He alone, the Word of the Father, who lived before ages in his incorruptible divinity from one, the Father, He came and was incarnate, the Only-begotten, from his Holy mother. After giving birth, her virginity did not change. And because of this it became manifest that she was the bearer of God. O deep is the richness of the wisdom of God. The womb which he decreed should bring forth children in pain, and suffering, and sorrow of heart, has become the fountain of life. It has given birth, without the seed of man, to the one who removed the curse from our race. And because of this we praise him saying “Glory be to you the lover of men; Good and the saviour of our souls. Ask for us Holy.
O how wonderful and amazing in power was the womb of the Virgin, which gave birth to God without seed. About this the angel appeared to Joseph and said “He who is born from her, is of the Holy Spirit”. The Word of God became incarnate without change; Mary gave birth to him a second time. He who rejoiced said You shall bring forth a Son and shall call His name Emmanuel, which is being interpreted, “God is with us”. Moreover, he shall be called Jesus, who shall save his people from their sins. May he save us by his power and forgive our sins; we have known that he is God who became man. To him praise is due forever. O how marvellous is the birth of God from Mary, from the Holy virgin, who contained the Word, whose birth was not preceded by seed. Her virginity was not destroyed by His birth. From the Father, came forth the Word, without weariness and from the the Virgin He was born without pain. Wise men worshipped Him, brought incense because he is God, and gold because he is King and myrrh for his death; life-giving, for our sake and by his own will, he accepted. One is alone Good and the lover of men. Ask for us Holy.
O how marvellous! He took a rib from the side of Adam, and made a woman from it. And all of creation of the children of men was given to God, the Word of the Father, who became incarnate from the Holy Virgin and is called Emmanuel. And because of this we beseech her at all times to strive on our behalf to her beloved Son. She is good to all the saints and the high priests because she has brought forth for them that which they waited for. And for the prophets she brought forth the one who they prophesied about and for the apostles, she gave birth to for them the one in whose name they preached in all directions of the world. For the martyrs and believers, for them came Whom they were to fight for, Jesus Christ. The richness of his grace and wisdom cannot be fathomed. We will search after the greatness of his compassion, for he came and saved us. Ask for us Holy.
God swore to David in righteousness, and He will not repent; “From the fruit of your belly. I will seat upon your throne.” And when this righteous man received it from Him, that Christ was to be born of him in the flesh, he wished to seek out and prepare a dwelling-place for God, the Word of the Father. And he completed it with great effort after which he cried out in the Spirit saying “Behold, we have heard it in Ephrata”; which is the dwelling-place of the God of Jacob, Bethlehem, in which Emmanuel has chosen to be born in flesh for our salvation. Again, one from amongst the prophets, said “and you Bethlehem, land of Ephrata, are not lesser than the Kings of Judea because from within you, came forth the King, who protects his people, Israel”. O how deep is this thing, which they prophesied for Him in one Spirit, for Christ, to whom glory is due with his Good Father and Holy Spirit now and forever. Ask for us Holy.
David reigned over Israel. When his enemies revolted upon him, he wished to drink water from the pool of Bethlehem. There quickly, the captains of the hosts arose and waged war in the camp of the rebels and brought him the water which he wished to drink. And when this righteous man saw that they had willingly given themselves over to slaughter for this sake, he poured out the water and did not drink of it, and righteousness was accounted unto him for ever. Truly, as such the martyrs have rejected the desire of this world, and poured out their blood for God, and have endured bitter death for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Have compassion upon us according to the greatness of Your compassion. Ask for us Holy.
One of the Holy Trinity saw our low estate; bowed the heavens, came and dwelt in the womb of the Virgin and became man, like us with the exception of sin alone. And he was born in Bethlehem, according to what the prophets preached. He saved us and redeemed us and made us his own people. Ask for us Holy.