Look at your relative Elizabeth, who the world deemed barren; she is six months pregnant, all by the sovereign work of God's power. I bring you a miracle beyond compare: for with God, nothing is impossible. “Then,” replied Mary joyfully, “I am prepared to serve as God's instrument; so be it unto me according to Your word.” And the Word became flesh.
Let us pause and reflect reverently on this pivotal moment in history; it is the culmination of our salvation. We recall how beautifully the Lord created us: we were slightly lower than the angels, sharing profound insights with heavenly beings and basking in the wisdom that delighted in the children of men. But we fell from this state of bliss, losing our original beauty. We know that paradise will be restored to us, and we will partake of the fruit of the tree of life; earthly sorrows will fade away, the spirit will unite intimately with the Lord, and our very flesh will be transformed; the saints will conquer sin, creating harmony within the soul, where peace and joy will dwell. We understand these are the dual dawns—the evening and the morning of our world: they shed a joyful light on our journey through the night of existence. But how does evening link to morning? How has the eternal night not engulfed us in despair? How can the shattered vessel be filled anew with the fragrance of heaven? How shall fallen nature rid itself of sin and decay? Where is the life-giving force that will infuse it with purity and enlightenment? Where is that power that will consume sin, vanquish death, wipe away every tear, and unveil life, truth, and joy across the universe? It is in the Word, which Mary willingly accepted as, “Let it be done to me according to Your word,” and this Word became flesh.
If the souls of the departed have any awareness of our earthly existence, I believe the teacher of the Church, who addresses Mary, saying: Adam and his lost descendants, cast out of Paradise, call upon you; Abraham calls upon you; David calls upon you— all of your ancestors who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death: give your consent to the angel's announcement. Why do you hesitate? Why do you falter? Open your heart to faith, your mouth to confession, and your womb to the Creator. Believe, confess, receive. Speak the word, and you shall receive the Word. This Word has not begun its work of restoring humanity for the first time. This Word, which was with God in the beginning, was with the Father even before the foundation of the world—a secret revelation that became manifest in creation; all things were made through Him, and apart from Him, nothing was made. This Word, revealing itself more profoundly in its creation than merely as the Source of existence, also signifies life. When humanity had already lost its divinely-given life, it sought to remain a light amidst the darkness (for the life was the light of men). As mankind drifted further from the inception of his existence, the shadows deepened within and around him; his vision dimmed, and darkness enveloped him. Yet, this darkness was pierced at times by the radiance of the Word, manifesting through divine illuminations of the spirit and other revelations; it established a constant illumination in the written word, dividing its light among people, ensuring that none were deprived of its measure (the true light, which illuminates every person coming into the world). However, the darkness—marked by the heart's vices and the mind's delusions—did not comprehend it. The Word was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, it did not recognize Him. To articulate itself clearly, to penetrate the deepest shadows, to renew life within humanity, the Word became flesh.
As noted by one teacher of the Church, Origen, in Jesus, divine and human natures began to interweave; through communion with the divine, humanity became elevated, not just in Him but also in all who accept in faith the way of life He taught. Thus, there is certain hope that every facet of existence can draw together; God’s own essence has descended, fully unifying with our fallen humanity; He has closely joined Himself to our flesh and blood. Every sigh and every suffering borne by our earthly brothers and sisters is presented to Him in heaven; and since He is all-powerful, it is inconceivable that He would not alleviate these burdens and impart the blessings He embodies to our hearts. Therefore, it follows that He will grant us these gifts. Humanity will be restored: the earthly will be reunited with the heavenly; the Word will glorify His human nature through the Resurrection, and all of humankind, eager to follow Him in unity, will purify, glorify, and present themselves to the Father; Adam, the firstborn, will be exalted at the Father’s throne, and thus there will be, as in the beginning, God the All in All.
This is that critical moment in the story of humanity when the virgin declared to the angel, “Let it be done to me according to your word.” In the vast expanse of ages, there are only two such transformative moments for us: the creation of humanity and its re-creation. The entirety of Christ’s earthly existence, marked by His sufferings and miracles, His humiliation and glory, and His death and Resurrection, hinges upon the event of His incarnation; or more accurately, all those thirty-three years of life serve as the blossoming of that moment when the Word became flesh.
THEOSIS