ON THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS

Everything pleasing to God is gained through suffering

God chose someone to be the person through whom He would become Man.  Had that one not existed, our salvation would not have been accomplished.

In the service to the Nativity of Christ, there is a sticheron with  words to the effect that the entire created world brings gifts to the new-born Christ.  The sky brings a star, the earth — a cave, and we — the Virgin Mother.  The Mother of God is a gift to God from the human race, but with our cognizance that everything we can offer to God we must first receive from Him and preserve [for Him].  She was born only because there were people on earth who loved God with all their heart, all their soul, all their strength, and all their intent.

Just as the sun begins to shine even before it dawns, so Christ, even before His Incarnation, illumined the souls of those seeking after God.  The world, which was lying in pagan darkness, was ready to believe on Him.  Moreover, within the people of Israel, God-pleasing fruit was maturing, fruit that had to become ripe in order to give Him a place to act within us.

The Holy Righteous Joachim and Anna were pious and righteous,  and the great mercy shown them by God (i.e. their being able to become the parents of the Mother of God) was shown because they exceeded everyone else in righteousness.

But first they had to endure sorrow: they had lived to an old age without having any children, to an age at which according to the natural order of things having children was no longer possible.  In Israel, being barren was considered to be a particular punishment from God.  The Holy Righteous Sts. Joachim and Anna suffered even more because they thought that it was because of their sinfulness that God did not allow them to have children.  Other people mocked them.  Once, on a great feast, the Righteous Joachim offered great sacrifices at the Temple of Jerusalem, but the high priest refused to accept them.  He said, “You probably have some secret sins, for which God deprived you of His blessing.” Others began to ridicule him, saying that he was truly unworthy of bringing sacrifice to God.

Then, feeling great sorrow, Joachim did not return home, but instead went into the desert, where his flock was pastured.  There he observed a strict fast for forty days, and prayed that the Lord might forgive him all of his sins and might allow him, like the Righteous Abraham of old, to be a father even at his advanced age. The Righteous Anna offered similar prayers.  She had learned that the high priest had refused to accept their offerings, and that Joachim had gone off into the desert; this caused her bitter tears. Everything she saw, whether baby birds in a nest, or the earth, upon which everything bears fruit, only caused an increase in her sorrow.  She also tearfully prayed that she might give birth, even if in old age. 

After that prayer, an Angel appeared to her and said that her request would be granted, and that she would give birth not to an ordinary child, but to the one whom all nations would call blessed, and through whom all would receive salvation.  The same was told to Joachim; the Angel added that in confirmation of those words, he would find his wife praying in the Temple of Jerusalem.  They met, related to one another everything they had heard, returned home, and the Lord fulfilled His promise.

Had Sts. Joachim and Anna not exceeded all others in piety, they would not have been chosen to become the parents of the Mother of God. 

Had they not humbled themselves, had they considered themselves better than others in piety, they would not have been acceptable to God.

Had they not endured their sorrow, they would hardly have attained such humility.

Had they not placed their sure hope in God, they would not have given Him a place in which to perform that great work.

Thus, everything that is pleasing to God always comes through enduring suffering, and the gift received from Him should be multiplied and returned to Him.

Priest Michael Nemnonov
“Orthodoxy and the World”