Daily Devotion to the Theotokos

 Twenty-fifth Day of the Month

"Within thy womb, O Pure Virgin, as from scarlet silk the spiritual purple was woven — the flesh of Emmanuel. Therefore, we honor thee as in truth the Mother of God." (Theotokion, Ode 8, The Great Canon)

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Royal purple was reserved for emperors, O Virgin, but the spiritual purple is for the King of Kings and Lord of lords, the God of heaven and earth.

Your womb, Most Pure Mother, is likened to scarlet silk, for the human body of our Lord and Saviour was woven and given form within you, and He received his flesh and blood from you.

O the wonder which is beyond human understanding: Our God, Who wove the heavens upon the loom of His will, and gave form to earth by the power of His Word, now receives flesh woven in your womb, and takes on the form of created man.

We marvel at this mystery of God's love. Like Habakkuk the Prophet, we tremble in awe when we hear of the birth of our Saviour from the Virgin womb (Habakkuk 3:2). We behold, O Pure Theotokos, that God chose you out of all nations, ages and generations, to be the Mother of God in the saving incarnation. Like the archangel Gabriel, we stand in awe before you, and cry out:

O Mother of the man-befriending God, we beseech you to inspire our hearts with a knowledge of God's love. Teach us of the compassion of our Saviour Jesus Christ and guide us on the path of repentance. Strengthen us in fasting, encourage us in prayer, and exalt us in rejoicing. Pray for us that Christ may be formed in us spiritually as He was formed in you both spiritually and physically, that we may give all glory, honor and praise to Him, together with the eternal Father and the Life-bestowing Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.