Tag: Holy Virgin

The Descent of the Holy Sophia

Commonly called The Nativity of Our Lady

September 8

Color: White

THE COLLECT

Let us call upon the Holy Sophia, the supernal mother of our souls, and celestial bride of our spirits: Daughter of Infinite Light, born of enlightened love; merciful and compassionate, embodiment of perfect wisdom; begotten in Eternity, beyond Time and Space, —With what words shall we praise Thee, or with what thoughts comprehend Thy majesty? Utterance must profane Thee; silence itself can bear witness to Thee. How shall we extol Thee. In what shall we shadow forth Thy great glory among us?

THE LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon:
Wisdom reacheth from one end of the world to the other; mightily and sweetly doth she order all things. In that she is conversant with God, she hath magnified her nobility; yea, the Lord of all things Himself loved her. For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of His works. If riches be a possession to be desired in this life, what is richer than wisdom, that worketh all things? And if prudence work, who of all that are is a more cunning worker than she? If a man love righteousness, her labours are virtues; for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude, than which men can have nothing more profitable in their life. By means of her I shall obtain immortality, for she is the mother of fair love, and of patience and perseverance, and of holy hope. Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.

THE GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Philip:
The Sophia whom they call barren is the mother of the angels. And the consort of Christ is Mary Magdalen. The Lord loved her more than all the disciples, and kissed her on her mouth often. The others said to him: ‘Why do you love her more than all of us?’ The Saviour answered and said to them: ‘Why do I not love you like her?’ Some said: Mary conceived of the Holy Spirit. They are in error. What they are saying they do not know. When did a woman ever conceive of a woman? Mary is the virgin whom no power defiled, who is anathema to the Hebrews, the apostles and ignorant men. This is the Virgin whom no power defiled. There were three who walked with the Lord at all times, Mary his mother and her sister and Magdalene, whom they called his consort. For Mary was his mother and his sister and his consort.

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Homily for the Descent of the Holy Sophia by Bishop Stephan Hoeller

A Homily for the Descent of the Holy Sophia by Bishop Steven Marshall

The Feast of Holy Mary of Magdala

July 22

Color: White

The COLLECT

O helper of God and mystic silence before the Aeon, the father of the universe sees thy Angel throughout before his face. We invoke thee, O holy feminine power, by the angels who rest on the four pillars, whose feet are firmly fixed on the foundations of the divine abyss! We adore thee, great and glorious woman in whose bosom the father of the Aeons was concealed from the beginning! Hail to thee, who art declared in the disk of the night-shining moon; who art present in the abysses of the mighty waters and whose celestial radiance is concealed in the womb of the earth! Despised art thou by the fools of the world, but ever revered by the knowers of the truth! Maiden of the mysteries, consort of the Christos, beloved of the Logos; praise, glory, and reverence shall be thine now and for evermore. Amen.

The LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of the Perfect Mind:
I was sent by the Power and came to those who thought of me. I was found by those who sought me. Behold me, ye who thought of me. And ye who wanted to hear me, listen to me. And ye who expected me, accept me. And do not drive me away from before your eyes. And let not your voice or your ear hate me. Do not ignore me anywhere or at any time. Be careful, do not ignore me, for I am the first and the last. I am the honored one and the despised one. I am the harlot and I am the saint. I am the woman and I am the virgin. I am the mother and I am the daughter. I am barren and I have many children. I have many husbands and I am unmarried. I am the physician who heals and I am the one who wounds. I am the bride and I am the bridegroom. I am the mother of my husband and my husband is my father. I am the daughter of my husband, and my husband is my son. I am the sister of my husband and my husband is my brother. I am the slave of my father and I am the mistress of my son.

The GOSPEL

The gospel is taken from the Gospel of St. Luke and the Gospel according to St. Philip:
And behold a woman in the city, which was a harlot, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster box of ointment. And she stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself: This man if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a harlot. And Jesus turned to the woman, and said unto Simon the Pharisee: Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss; but this woman hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee: Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.

The Sophia whom they call barren is the mother of the angels. And the consort of Christ is Mary Magdalen. The Lord loved Mary more than all the disciples and kissed her on her mouth often. The others said to him: ‘Why do you love her more than all of us?’ The Saviour answered and said to them: ‘Why do I not love you like her?’ There were three who walked with the Lord at all times, Mary his mother, and her sister and Magdalene, whom they called his consort. For Mary was his sister and his mother and his consort.

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Homilies for the Feast of Holy Mary of Magdala by Bishop Stephan Hoeller

A Homily for the Day of Holy Mary of Magdala by Bishop Steven Marshall

The Annunciation of Our Lady

March 25

Color: White

THE COLLECT

We thank Thee, O God, for the blessings bestowed upon us through the holy Lady Mary, mother of Jesus, whom thy holy Church hath ever held up unto her people as a bright image of holiness and godly life; and we pray that on this the Festival of her Annunciation there may shine forth within us the light of Gnosis; through Christ our Indwelling Lord. Amen.

The LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah:
The Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emanuel. And it shall be said: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

The GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke:
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said: Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her: Fear not, Mary; for Thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

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A Homily for The Annunciation to Our Lady by Bishop Steven Marshall