Daily Devotion to the Theotokos

 Fifteenth Day of the Month

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The Holy Spirit speaks through the Virgin Mary, “All generations shall call me blessed.” Orthodox Christian people, it is clear from the Scriptures that those who do not venerate the Theotokos and call her blessed, are not among the generations written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev. 21:27).

How many of our Orthodox people do not read the Scripture and study it. They become easily confused when preachers of false teachings approach them with words from the Bible.

Do you, brothers and sisters in Christ, make time to read from the Holy Scripture? Do you not know that the books of the New Testament were chosen and placed in the Bible by the Orthodox Church for your sake? How can you know and understand the Orthodox faith or how can you draw nearer to God if you do not read the Holy Scripture that He has given us? If you do not know what you believe and why, how will your children believe at all?

We are called upon to venerate the Most Holy Theotokos, to call her “blessed” and to speak with her in prayer. But why? We pray directly to our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and He knows everything that we need even before we ask. Why, then, should we talk to the Theotokos in prayer?

Prayer is not only a conversation with some person who is in the heavenly kingdom, it is a form of spiritual communion with the heavenly kingdom. When we pray to the Holy Virgin, we are confessing our faith in the Kingdom of God. As Orthodox Christians, we have already become citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom. The Orthodox Church on earth is a window of God’s Kingdom in heaven. We here on earth converse in prayer with those who are already in Heaven with God. Those in heaven, being filled with holy love, pray for those of us who are still in this life. It is prayer, as an expression of love, which draws heaven and earth together.

The Theotokos is the highest and most blessed of all humanity. As the greatest and most holy and blessed member of our human race, the bond of love between her and those of us still living on earth, is very great. It is only natural and reasonable that we should address her in prayer and venerate her greatly.

When you pray to the Holy Theotokos, remember that in doing this, you are exchanging love between the Church on earth and the Church in Heaven. Therefore, pray to the Most Holy Theotokos, saying: