Prophets have told wonders About You

"O, abode of God, prophets have told wonders about you," says St. Ephrem the Syrian in his Wednesday's praise he has accorded to Her. At a time when we Christians observe Her assumption very devotedly, delving into such scriptures is quite essential for it helps us all to lead a very informed life of spirituality.

The saint has a Biblical basis when he says this and that is exactly why he quotes the prophets. The prophets have praised the Holy mother literally and symbolically. We have Isaiah who very literally writes that, "... the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel." Isa.7: 14. This is so transparent that it needs no probing as such to realize how wondrous she is as she Mothers the Messiah, the redeemer of the condemned world. Let us heed Isaiah's other verses quoted here under:

For us a child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder,

And His name will be called wonderful,

Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, prince of peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace,

There will be no end. Isa.9: 6-7.

As believers we could by no means fail to wonder this mercy of the Lord which He has given to us who happened to be condemned committed to praising, the Son, who is given, who is wonderful, who is the everlasting God, ... etc. We will definitely feel how much praiseworthy His mother, St. Mary, is we, the therefore, realize that Isaiah is praising Her not only by extolling her Son but also by writing in black and white that she is a Virgin mother and not an ordinary woman. Mosses have seen Her as a bush that is never consumed by a burning flame. (Gen, 3:2). This is so symbolic. As the burning flame did not consume the bush mosses have seen, so was the Holy Virgin who carries the Fire of Divinity. Ezekiel has seen Her as the sanctuary of the East that is ever shut for men.

That sanctuary of the east, which the prophet has seen, is shut for all men because, "the Lord God of Israel has entered by it." Hez. 44:2. Her womb will not, therefore, be opened for any man whosoever who approaches Her with, God forbid, the ordinary calculation of intercourse. It is unfortunate to hear heresies of this sort!!

Micah has also extolled her symbolically through Bethlehem. "But, you, Bethlehem Ephrata, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting, "he writes. Mic.5: 2.

Taken at face value, this has to do with the town of Bethlehem, which was downtrodden at one Old Testament point of time in history.

This is praise to the Holy mother when seen symbolically. She has housed the lord seen symbolically. She has housed the Lord in Her blessed womb just like the town of Bethlehem where He was born.

Such praise is concretized in the New Testament, when New Testament praises her, when she is praised by St.Gabriel, Elizabeth and Herself (Mary) as well.

The dialogue between Her and the angel, Gabriel, reveals a lot of things about Her. When we are told that she was a virgin betrothed to a certain Joseph, it is so ungodly to take the word "betrothed" to give her an ordinary stature. she herself says she doesn't know a man and Gabriel corroborates this saying, "The Holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the Highest will overshadow you . .

For with God, nothing will be impossible." Lk.1: 35,37. This is meant to silence the heresies we hear these days. Having cleared all the mysteries, she at last says, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." Her careful probing into Gabriel's message is her constructive skepticism until she proves that the message is indeed from God.

Then her glory comes in a more extended manner when she pays a visit to Elizabeth who is touched by entertaining the mother of her lord. Event he babe in her womb, the would-be John the Baptist, leaps in rejoice. Elizabeth, "filled with the Holy spirit," (Lk1: 41) testifies that Mary and the fruit of her womb are blessed. She also says she is unfit to host the mother of her

Lord. St. Mary Herself has said that she will be called blessed by all generations. (1:48).

It is in view of this ground that we observe her Assumption. Amen!!

Praise be to Almighty God Amen!!