March 25 Lenten Meditation, Prayer and Scripture

​A Continuous Liturgy was taking place in the womb of the Theotokos during the nine months of her pregnancy.  Christ, as perfect God, was never separated from His Father and the Holy Spirit.  He never lost His divinity, so the angels of God were always singing His praises.  As He was perfect man at the same time, He maintained a relationship and communication with His Mother, receiving nourishment from her and giving her His grace.  Mary the Theotokos, as the workshop where the two natures were united, and as Paradise where the Divine Liturgy was unceasingly celebrated, partook continuously of Christ’s deified Body and Blood for nine months.–Metropolitan Hierotheos

TODAY’S PRAYER

I

A Prayer To the Immaculate Virgin

Take away from me, O Virgin, the fetters of sin,
of my lusts and other transgressions:
the terrible carelessness and the overcaring,
the evil curiosity and the talkativeness,
the useless incontinence and the haughtiness,
the negligence, the drunkenness and the lack of mercy,
the bad desires, the terrible impurity,
the extravagance, the darkness,
the great insensitivity. Take away the tendency to say jokes,

the enjoyment, the prodigality.

The laughter of immorality and every evil.

Give me, O maiden, fasting,
carefulness, vigilance and perfect obedience.

Give me carefulness in all
and acute discernment,
silence, order and holy patience.

Grant to me, O Lady, eagerness to work
and to attain my perfection,
and zeal for virtues and exercise.

Keep, O most-holy One,
my soul, my heart and my mind
in holiness and guard it in virginity.

— St. Nektarios
Translated by Nikolaos S. Hatzinikolaou

 

DAILY MEMORY VERSE

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)

Hebrews 2:11-18 (Epistle, Theotokos)

11

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12

saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

13

And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

15

and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16

For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.

17

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

18

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Luke 1:24-38 (Gospel, Theotokos)

24

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,

25

Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.

26

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

27

to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28

And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

30

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.

32

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

33

And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

36

Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.

37

For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Conclude your time with God by taking 5 minutes to sit quietly and pray the Jesus Prayer – “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me the Sinner.”