Thursday before Christmas

The following hymn is taken from the Anthology of the Greeks:



Thy womb, O Mother of God, is the heap of wheat of the Canticle; carrying, in an ineffable manner, the ear of corn, which, like no other, grew without being sown; thy Child is the Word, and thou wilt give Him birth in Bethlehem's cave: He will lovingly feed every creature with the knowledge of God, and free the human race from deadly hunger.

Whence comest thou, O pure Virgin? Thy father and mother, who are they? How dost thou carry thy Creator in thy arms? Mother, and yet a Virgin! These are great graces, and stupendous mysteries, which have been done in thee, all-holy creature! We adorn the cave as it behooves us, and we look for the star in the heavens: the Magi are coming from the east to our western world, to see the Saviour of men shining in thy arms as a bright torch.

O Mary! fair palace of our Master, how is it thou comest into so poor a cave, there to give birth to the King our Lord, O all-holy Virgin, bride of God?

Eve, indeed, by the crime of disobedience brought a curse into the world: but thou, Virgin-Mother of God, by the flower thou bearest, hast made blessing bloom in the world; therefore do we all magnify thee.

The Mother of God, when the birth of Christ was near, spoke thus to her spouse: 'Be not sad, Joseph, finding that I am Mother; for thou shalt see Him Who is to be born of me, and thou shalt rejoice and adore Him as thy God.' Let us commemorate this divine Mother, saying: Be glad, O full of grace! the Lord is with thee, and with us by thee.