"He who before the birth of the Morning Star was begotten of the Father, without a mother, became incarnate on earth of you, O mother of God, without a father. Wherefore a star announces to wise men that you have given birth without human seed, and the angels and shepherds glorify you, O Woman full of grace!"What an amazing line: ...begotten of the Father, without a mother, became incarnate on earth of you, O mother of God, without a father...
The focus of this time of year is, of course, the birth of Christ. Although that was a miraculous and marvelous event, the most ineffable, extraordinary thing that we celebrate is what happened nine months before, viz., the Incarnation. It was then that the holy (as wholly other), transcendent, mighty God emptied himself to become man so that we might become divine. Let us really reflect on what the Incarnation means to mankind.
