21 November 2022

On the Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple, 2022

     In his work On the Holy Spirit, St Basil the Great makes the distinction between dogma and kerygma. Kerygma refers to the public preaching of the Church, geared not only to her children but also to the pagans. Dogma refers to those things taught within the precincts of the Church, not intended to be spread abroad in public. Dogmas are the "mystery" concerning which we say in our pre-Communion prayer, "I will not speak of thy mystery to thine enemies; neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas. But like the thief will I confess thee--Remember me in thy Kingdom."

    We all recognise such a distinction, even in our everyday lives. There are stories in our family life that are shared with any who care to listen. There are other matters which are kept within the walls of our homes.

    Most of what the Church teaches about Mary falls on the dogma side of the kerygma/dogma divide. As early as St Ignatios of Antioch we read, "Now the virginity of Mary was hidden from the prince of this world..." The things we teach about Mary provide sense and context to the public preaching, the Church as she faces the pagan world; but they are pondered and cherished in the Church, just as Mary herself pondered and cherished the things of her Son. They are not a matter of public discussion.

    The feast of the entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple is clearly a dogmatic matter, not one of kerygma. There is no explicit biblical text to support the feast; indeed, it seems to go against the notion that only the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies, and that only once a year. If women were limited to an outer part of the Temple grounds, how is it plausible that a young girl might not only enter the Holy of Holies, but live there for nine years, sustained on food brought by an archangel? Even the liturgical texts for this day tell us that Zachariah, the high priest, was "beside himself" as he led her to the holiest place.

    But history is full of such implausibilities. How is it plausible that Lincoln's box should be left unguarded at Ford's Theatre during a time of war? How is it plausible that an Assyrian army should disappear without a trace in the Sahara? Lee's planned invasion of the North was discovered by two Union soldiers wrapped around three cigars. Not plausible...but it happened, and had huge consequences.

    I preached this homily yesterday at St. George in Grand Rapids. I hope it may be edifying for my Orthodox friends. I have no illusions but that Protestants will find it implausible. So be it. 


            With each of my children, there is some event in their early years that gave us a window into their character. When my older son was 3, for example, he was sitting at the kitchen table staring at a box of Reynolds Wrap. “Mommy,” he told my wife, “if I take the ‘w’ from ‘wrap,’ turn it upside down, and put it between the ‘a’ and ‘p,’ it would spell ‘ramp.’ You won’t be surprised to learn that today he works with computer software.

            Well, today’s feast is that event in the life of the Theotokos. Her parents bring her to the Temple at the age of 3. She follows the virgins in candlelight procession, then enters the Temple for a life of prayer, and contemplation of the light that no darkness can overcome.

Today, for the third and final time, the Ark of the Covenant enters the holy of holies. The first time was when Moses built the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. When all was done, the ark of the covenant was brought into the holy of holies, and the glory of the Lord so filled the tabernacle that even Moses could not enter.

Centuries later, Solomon built a temple for the Lord. The last thing done was to bring the Ark of the Covenant from the tabernacle into the temple. The Lord’s glory so filled the temple that the priests could not minister.

When Judah went into captivity, the Ark of the Covenant disappeared. Josephus tells us that when the Romans entered the holy of holies, they found it empty. Where did it go? We don’t know. But without the Ark in the holy of holies, there could be no glory.

That’s why today’s feast is so important. Today is the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple. She herself is the new Ark. She is the capstone of the Old Testament and the foundation of the New. By her, God was made the Son of Man; by her, man is made the son of God. She is the Entrance, she is the Gate through which, without leaving heaven, God the Word humbled himself to our condition. She is the Entrance through which, while still on earth, we are made to share in the divine life. She is the True and final Ark of the Covenant, for she contains him whom the heavens cannot contain.

Tradition tells us that Mary entered the holiest place at age 3, and stayed there till she was 12. And what did she do for those nine years? She heard the Word of God, and kept it. She learned that prayer and reflection that characterised the rest of her life. She came to know God, and to be his dwelling-place, not by deceptive human wisdom but by submitting herself completely and by loving him whose very being is Love. She was filled with the divine glory and grace. God fitted her in every way to become his most-holy Mother, the greatest, truest, and final Ark.

We hear a lot these days about the status of women and their need for empowerment. Paradoxically, we also witness the disappearance of women as unique and distinct. But those things go together: “whoever wants to save his life will lose it.”

Today’s feast is the true exaltation of woman—not only over man, but also over the very angels themselves. By silence, Mary is given grace to bear the Word of God. By prayer, the One to whom all prayer is directed, comes to rest in her. Let us rejoice, therefore, sons and daughters of Mary; and let us keep with joy this great feast, of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple.