St. John Of The Cross's Christmas refrain is quoted by Richard Hardy: "The Virgin, weighed with the Word Of God, comes down the road: if only you'll shelter her." In this seventh mystery we see her coming down another road - not to Bethlehem, but to refuge in Egypt. Again, as in the former, she seeks shelter that is safe for Jesus. Your heart would be just the perfect place, "if only you'll shelter her." Your heart is, as Archimandrite Zacharias says, "God's target",

Richard P. Hardy in his book, "St. John Of The Cross...Man And Mystic" (Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington D.C.) says, "If in reading Fray Juan de La Cruz you find more and more a compassionate, loving, gentle God, you have truly understood this great sixteenth century Spanish mystic." The mystery of the Presentation is a door into the mystery of God offering to share this love at its most intimate level. Mary presents the baby Jesus to an old man whose heart long

What Divine event ever takes place without Satan trying to stick his nose into it ! But thanks be to God he is not God's equal. Restrained by the command, "So far and NO FARTHER", the evil one still operates, but with limits. In the icon of Christ's birth we usually see Mary gazing contemplatively, as if she is deeply pondering what this birth means for her and for her people. She has hints, but God reveals things in a measured way, like an opening rose. She is STILL s

In the West we know this mystery as The Presentation. The East wants to put heavy emphasis on the fact that John The Baptist, like Mary, had a very righteous mother - observant of Israel's religion. The icon in our little book by Anthony Steblin shows John in Elizabeth's womb bowing to Jesus in Mary's womb, This, as Mary and Elizabeth greet each other. Elizabeth is forerunner to Mary, declaring her to be the Mother Of God just as John is the forerunner of Jesus, declaring