On the Mother of God

Rating:
Summary: In praise of the Theotokos
Review: Saint Vladimir's Seminary Press, and the translator Mary Hansbury, are to be thanked for making these poetical meditations and homilies by Jacob of Serug (451-522) available to the public. Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and anyone who recognizes the Virgin as "the mother of holy hope" (Sirach 24) will be deeply moved by this fairly slender but devout volume.

There are times when Jacob of Serug seems to repeat himself in the fashion of much ancient poetry; nonetheless, the repetitions rarely give the impression of being gratuitous. The mysteries explored in these four homilies (each homily a poem of more than 20 pages) are the Annunication, the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, and the Dormition of Mary. A section of Homily 1 speaks of Mary as the New Eve, restoring grace to fallen humanity. And from Homily 3:

"O cloud of mercy, which is full of hope for all the world, all the earth which had been ravaged was pacified by it.

"O ship of riches in which the Father's treasury was sent to the poor in a needy place and it enriched them!

"O field, which without a ploughman yielded a sheaf of life, and all creation that had been needy was satiated by it.

"O virginal vine, which though not pruned gave a cluster, behold by whose wine creation, which was mourning, rejoices.

"Daughter of poor ones, who was mother to the only rich One, behold whose treasures are lavished on mendicants to enrich them."

Rating:
Summary: In praise of the Theotokos
Review: Saint Vladimir's Seminary Press, and the translator Mary Hansbury, are to be thanked for making these poetical meditations and homilies by Jacob of Serug (451-522) available to the public. Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and anyone who recognizes the Virgin as "the mother of holy hope" (Sirach 24) will be deeply moved by this fairly slender but devout volume.

There are times when Jacob of Serug seems to repeat himself in the fashion of much ancient poetry; nonetheless, the repetitions rarely give the impression of being gratuitous. The mysteries explored in these four homilies (each homily a poem of more than 20 pages) are the Annunication, the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, and the Dormition of Mary. A section of Homily 1 speaks of Mary as the New Eve, restoring grace to fallen humanity. And from Homily 3:

"O cloud of mercy, which is full of hope for all the world, all the earth which had been ravaged was pacified by it.

"O ship of riches in which the Father's treasury was sent to the poor in a needy place and it enriched them!

"O field, which without a ploughman yielded a sheaf of life, and all creation that had been needy was satiated by it.

"O virginal vine, which though not pruned gave a cluster, behold by whose wine creation, which was mourning, rejoices.

"Daughter of poor ones, who was mother to the only rich One, behold whose treasures are lavished on mendicants to enrich them."