marymajor's Advent Calendar: December 4

December 4


The blessed prophets have spoken in various ways concerning Christ; for they foretold He was the Light that was to come; some proclaimed He was endowed with royal dignity and excellence. And a certain one among them has said: Blessed is he that hath seed in Sion, and friends in Jerusalem. Behold a king shall reign, and princes have preceded him with judgment. And he shall be a man that hides his words, and he shall hide himself as from water rushing down (Isaiah 31:9, 32:1-2). That the words of the Savior were for the most part hidden is plain to us. It is so that the psalmist also brings Him speaking before us: I will open my mouth in parables (Psalm 77:2)…

Accordingly, it was not given to them, to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to us who are ready to believe, it has been given. For he has given us to understand a parable, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings (Proverbs 1:6)… For when the divine word falls upon a soul purified of the things that afflicted it, then it takes deep root, and comes forth as an ear of corn, and yields fruit abundantly.

- St. Cyril