In the Divine Liturgy, we sing the Axion Estin, that is, the hymn to the Mother of God.

“It is truly meet and right to bless you, O Mother of God,
Ever-blessed and most pure, and the Mother of our God.
More honourable than the Cherubim,
And beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim,
Who without corruption gave birth to God the Word,
Thee, the true Mother of God, we magnify.”

Many people wonder why we give such fulsome praise and thanks to her. But the Church has always done so.

In the most beautiful hymn written by Saint Nectarios, we hear such praises as these: “The Mother of God, as being the brightest shining ray, are you, and higher than the heavens; the joy of virgin choruses, and higher than the Angels; more radiant than the heavens’ light, your own light shines more purely. Of all ranks of heaven’s host, you truly are more holy. O Mary, Ever-Virgin Maiden, Mistress of Creation.”

The hymn continues to praise her as being more brilliant in glory than the Cherubim and far greater than the Seraphim, who are unbodied, that is, incorporeal and spiritual. She is the song of the Cherubim, the hymn of Angels, the ode of Seraphim, and the joy of Archangels. She is indeed the Queen of All. That is why we can entreat her and call upon her for help.

So, yes, we can rejoice with all the angelic host of heaven because, as Saint Paul, in writing about the Mother of God’s Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus (Colossians 1:15–20), proclaims:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”

The Mother of God is Queen over all. How can the angelic host not look up to her, for she is raised up above all the angelic host, and they revere and love her for what she has done through her faith, her hope, and her love for God? They are astonished by her utter holiness and purity. Surely the angelic host, along with us, must continue to stand in awe and veneration of God the Holy Trinity’s plans for all and everything. The words of Saint Paul must echo (Romans 11:33): “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!”

Surely our own guardian angels must marvel, being full of astonishment and wonder.

Saint John of Damascus, in a part of his third sermon to the Mother of God, wrote:

“Lovers are wont to speak of what they love, and to let their fancy run on it by day and night. Let no one, therefore, blame me if I add a third tribute to the Mother of God, on her triumphant departure. I am not profiting her, but myself and you who are here present, putting before you a spiritual seasoning and refreshment in keeping with this holy night (the Feast of the Dormition). We are suffering, as you see, from scarcity of food. Therefore, I am composing and improvising a meal which, if not very costly nor worthy of the occasion, will certainly be sufficient to still hunger.

“She does not need our praise. It is we who need her glory. How, indeed, can glory be glorified, or the source of light be enlightened? We are weaving a crown for ourselves in the doing. ‘I live,’ the Lord says, ‘and I will glorify those who glorify Me.’ Wine is truly pleasant to drink, and bread to eat. The one rejoices; the other strengthens the heart of man. But what is sweeter than the Mother of my God? She has taken my mind captive and held my tongue in bondage. I think of her by day and night. She, the Mother of the Word, supplies my words.
“The fruit of sterility makes sterile minds fruitful. We keep today the feast of her blessed and divine transit from this world. Let us then climb up the mystical mountain, where, beyond the reach of worldly things, passing through the obscurity of storm, we stand in the divine light and may give praise to Almighty power.

“How does He, who dwells in the splendour of His glory, descend into the Virgin’s womb without leaving the bosom of the Father? How is He conceived in the flesh, and does He spontaneously suffer, and suffer unto death, in that material body, gaining immortality through corruptibility? And, again, ascending to the Father, He drew His Mother, according to the flesh, to His own Father, assuming into the heavenly country her who was heaven on earth.”

For the angelic host and for us, she is the “sweetness of the Angels, and the joy of those in affliction.” The angelic host gaze upon God with love and praise, awe, and joyful reverence, for through Mary, the uncontainable God took flesh. Her womb, more spacious than the heavens, became the bridge between heaven and earth. By giving human life to Christ, she introduced a profound, tender harmony and rejoicing that enthrals all the angelic orders.

The Mother of God is the joy in our affliction because we can turn to her in love, knowing that she is our Mother and is quick to hear.

The Elder Thaddeus wrote:

“The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs, where people are cured of their ailments, have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Mother of God appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly by our side, and all too often we forget her.”

It is not surprising to find such wonderful praise of the Mother of God, as we can see. There is such praise simply because the saints and angels are in love with God the Most Holy Trinity and, therefore, with our Saviour’s Mother, because of her holiness and utter purity.
All this is due to the fruit of love.

The wonderful effect of love is written about by Thomas à Kempis in his wonderful book, The Imitation of Christ. As a disciple, he writes:

“Love is an excellent thing, a very great blessing indeed. It makes every difficulty bearable and all wrongs bearable with equanimity. For it bears a burden without being uneasy, and makes sweet all that is bitter. The noble love of Jesus spurs us to great deeds and excites longing for that which is more perfect. Love tends upward; it will not be held down by anything low. Love wishes to be free and estranged from all worldly affections, lest its inward sight be obstructed, lest it be entangled in any temporal interest and overcome by adversity.

“Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger or higher or wider; nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller, and nothing better in heaven or on earth, for love is born of God and cannot rest except in God, who is above all created things.

“One who is in love flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free, not bound. He gives all for all and possesses all in all, because he rests in the one sovereign Good, who is above all things and from whom every good flows and proceeds. He does not look to the gift but turns himself, above all gifts, to the Giver.

“Love often knows no limits but overflows all bounds. Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of troubles, attempts more than it is able, and does not plead impossibility, because it believes that it may and can do all things. For this reason, it is able to do all, performing and effecting much where he who does not love fails and falls.

“Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but, like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.

“If a man loves, he will know the sound of this voice. For this warm affection of soul is a loud voice crying in the ears of God, and it says: ‘My God, my love, You are all mine and I am all Yours. Give me an increase of love, that I may learn to taste with the inward lips of my heart how sweet it is to love, how sweet to be dissolved in love and bathe in it. Let me be rapt in love. Let me rise above self in great fervour and wonder. Let me sing the hymn of love, and let me follow You, my Love, to the heights. Let my soul exhaust itself in praising You, rejoicing out of love. Let me love You more than myself, and let me not love myself except for Your sake. In You let me love all those who truly love You, as the law of love, which shines forth from You, commands.’

“Love is swift, sincere, kind, pleasant, and delightful. Love is strong, patient, and faithful, prudent, long-suffering, and manly. Love is never self-seeking, for in whatever a person seeks himself, there he falls from love. Love is circumspect, humble, and upright. It is neither soft nor light, nor intent upon vain things. It is sober and chaste, firm and quiet, guarded in all the senses. Love is subject and obedient to superiors. It is mean and contemptible in its own eyes, devoted and thankful to God, always trusting and hoping in Him, even when He is distasteful to it, for there is no living in love without sorrow. He who is not ready to suffer all things and to stand resigned to the will of the Beloved is not worthy to be called a lover. A lover must embrace willingly all that is difficult and bitter for the sake of the Beloved, and he should not turn away from Him because of adversities.”

Such is the language of love.

May we not be ashamed of expressing our love for God and for His wonderful Mother. Our parents, whether father or mother, may well not have been to our liking or benefit, but we can be assured of the love of our Heavenly Father and of the love of our Holy Mother and her protection.

Most Holy Mother of God, save us!

AMEN

Given by Fr. Seraphim