Homily I — The depth of God's goodness: blessed among women
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” I too, at the right moment, join my voice to the Apostle's: “How unsearchable are his judgments, and how untraceable his ways!” (Romans 11:33). Oh, the boundless goodness of God! Oh, love that cannot be searched out! He who “calls the things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17), who “fills heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 23:24), whose throne is heaven and the earth his footstool (Isaiah 66:1), made the womb of his own servant a spacious dwelling, and in it he brings to completion the newest mystery of all. For, being God, he becomes man; at the due time of pregnancy he is born in a way beyond nature; he opens the womb (Luke 2:23) without harming the bolts of virginity; and he is carried as a baby in earthly arms, he who is “the radiance of glory, the exact imprint of the Father's being,” who upholds all things “by the word of his mouth” (Hebrews 1:3).
Oh, wonders truly divine! Oh, mysteries beyond nature and beyond thought! Oh, glories of virginity beyond anything human! What is this great mystery concerning you, holy mother and virgin? “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). You are blessed from generation to generation, you alone worthy to be called blessed. For see, “all generations call you blessed,” as you said (Luke 1:48). The daughters of Jerusalem (of the Church, I mean) have seen you, and the queens, that is, the souls of the righteous, have called you blessed, and they will praise you for ever (Song of Songs 6:9).
Greek
Ὦ βάθος πλούτου, καὶ σοφίας, καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ· κἀγὼ γὰρ εἰς καιρὸν τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ συμφθέγγομαι, ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ! Ὦ ἀπλήστου ἀγαθότητος Θεοῦ! ὦ ἀγάπης οὐκ ἐχούσης ἔρευναν! Ὁ καλῶν τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα, ὁ πληρῶν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, οὗ ὁ οὐρανὸς θρόνος, ἡ δὲ γῆ ὑποπόδιον, εὐρύχωρον ἐνδιαίτημα, τὴν γαστέρα τῆς οἰκείας δούλης ἐποιήσατο, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ πάντων καινότερον ἀποτελεῖ μυστήριον. Θεὸς γὰρ ὢν, ἄνθρωπος γίνεται, ὑπερφυῶς τε τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς κυήσεως τίκτεται, καὶ διανοίγει μήτραν, τὰ κλεῖθρα τῆς παρθενίας μὴ λυμηνάμενος, καὶ ἀγκάλαις γηΐναις ὡς βρέφος βαστάζεται, τὸ τῆς δόξης ἀπαύγασμα, ὁ χαρακτὴρ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑποστάσεως, ᾧ φέρονται τὰ σύμπαντα τῷ ῥήματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. Ὦ θείων ἀληθῶς θαυμάτων! ὦ μυστηρίων τῶν ὑπὲρ φύσιν καὶ ἔννοιαν! ὦ παρθενικῶν αὐχημάτων τῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον! τί τοῦτο τὸ μέγα περὶ σὲ, ὦ ἱερὰ μῆτερ καὶ παρθένε, μυστήριον; Εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξὶν, καὶ εὐλογημένος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου. Μακαρία εἶ ἐν γενεαῖς γενεῶν, ἡ μόνη ἀξιομακάριστος. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ μακαρίζουσί σε πᾶσαι γενεαὶ, ὥσπερ ἔφησας. Σὲ εἶδον θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λέγω, καὶ ἐμακάρισάν σε αἱ βασίλισσαι, ἤτοι δικαίων ψυχαὶ, καὶ εἰς αἰῶνας αἰνέσουσί σε.