Homily Two on the Annunciation (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Two on the Annunciation

By St. John of Kronstadt

"Today is revealed the mystery that is from all eternity.  
The Son of God becomes the Son of man ...
God becomes man, that He may make Adam god"
(Matins Doxastikon, Tone 2 - composed by St. Theophanes the Graptos).

The Holy Church now remembers and celebrates a wondrous mystery, inconceivable to mortal minds: the incarnation and embodiment of the Creator of the ages and worlds – the Son of God. The uncontainable God is contained in the pure womb of the Virgin; the incorporeal is incarnated; the beginningless is conceived; the unapproachable becomes approachable; the Word assumes flesh; the infinitely great is diminished, and the boundless is defined; God merges with men and is not ashamed to call them brethren (Heb. 2:11). Thus, from eternity, from the beginning, the hidden mystery, unknown even to the angels, is now revealed, and the Son of God becomes the Son of Man, in order to take upon Himself the worst, that is, our nature, and to bestow upon us the incomparably better – sanctification, renewal, and divinization. It is fitting to exclaim in delight: let creation rejoice, let all nature celebrate joyfully, that is, both the entire human race, honored with such grace from God, and all creation, heaven and earth, witnessing God, who, in His boundless goodness, descended to creation and took upon Himself the nature of creation for its salvation. Oh, the incomprehensible mystery, the most wondrous mystery that captivates every spiritually reasoning soul, yet at the same time a fearsome mystery! For the reason behind such condescension, such self-emptying, is our sins. Only the all-good, all-wise, and all-powerful God could devise such an extraordinary means for the salvation of lost man and to so humble Himself in order to heal us through His example from pride and all sins and to teach humility, obedience, and every virtue.

A mystery, I say, most joyful and delightful to the soul! How we all, brothers and sisters, are honored by the incarnation of the Son of God from the Most-Pure Virgin, exalted, rejoiced, comforted! God is with us: He has become our Mediator, Redeemer, Savior. The Mother of God became our Mother by grace, Intercessor, Protector, and Covering. Imagine what would have happened to people if the Son of God had not descended so wonderfully, so kindly to us, sinners, darkened, a thousand times ill-fated because of sin and enmity with God! How impoverished, pitiful, desolate, and inconsolable humanity would be in the face of its countless miseries! And now, what a constant solace it provides for those who believe and repent in the incarnate Son of God for our sake! He is the hope, purification, sanctification, and salvation of all repentant sinners; a protector of the oppressed; comfort for all who mourn; encouragement for the despondent; rest for the weary and burdened; reward for those who strive; light for the gloomy; strength for the weak; a helper in good deeds; a champion in spiritual battles; solace for all the righteous; eternal life for all who believe in Him: "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25), says the Lord.

But the incarnation of the Son of God is both a dreadful and instructive mystery, if we consider what has brought the Son of God to such self-emptying and what we, human beings, are called and bound to by the incarnation of the Son of God. From God's side, the cause of the incarnation was His infinite love for us, His creations, the love of the Archetype for His living, rational image, which is fallen and perishing, for we are His image; and from our side – our sins, our terrible fall, our inevitable eternal doom. Therefore, what is required of us through the incarnation of the Son of God? Immediate, sincere, unpretentious, and firm repentance for all sins, the correction of the heart, and a righteous, "holy life. Be holy, for I am holy, says the Lord your God" (Lev. 19:2).

"Depart from among the wicked and cleanse yourselves, and touch not unclean things: and I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). What precisely the Lord Jesus Christ requires of us, namely holiness and righteousness, you can discern every day in the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father, in which He teaches us above all to pray for a life of holiness and righteousness, according to God's will, and not our own: "Hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Luke 11:2-4; Matthew 6:9-10). Thus, this is the indispensable duty that the incarnation of the Son of God imposes upon us, brothers and sisters: to live righteously and holy, reverently and honorably, and to distance ourselves from all sin, all unrighteousness, and all impurity. Otherwise, we shall be unworthy of the Son of God and His kingdom, and we will prepare for ourselves a heavier condemnation, both here and in eternity. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.