Theotokos - Sneak Peak!

Theotokos

TheotokoS

Preparing for Christmas With the Mother of God i

Theotokos

Theotokos an advent retreat

Š 2008 Fr. Mark Toups.

Permission required for duplication.

Theotokos WELCOME

Welcome to the Theotokos.

Theotokos (pronounced thê-o-toe-kaus) is an ancient title for the Virgin Mary. Especially revered in the Eastern Orthodox Church, its ancient translation means “God-bearer” or “the one who gives birth to God.” Theotokos is a compound of two Greek words—theo (God) and tokos (childbirth). This ancient title for the Mother of God echoes aged praise for Mary, for deep in the Greek Divine Liturgy we pray, “It is truly fitting to call you blessed, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and wholly pure Mother of our God.” The title Theotokos is almost as old as the reality it reveres. Early Desert Fathers used the title Theotokos as early as the third century, just 200 years after the death of Christ. As the early Church developed, so too did its theology, and there were essential questions that needed clarification as Christians grew in number.

In 431 Pope Celestine I gathered all Church leaders in Ephesus, the birthplace of Saint Paul’s great letter to the Ephesians. At this very important meeting, known as an Ecumenical Council, the Church dogmatically defined Mary as the Mother of God. It was there at the Council of Ephesus that we read from St. Cyril of Alexandria, “the holy Virgin should be called Theotokos … For if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, how is the holy Virgin who gave Him birth, not Theotokos?”

The title Theotokos is one that invites us into the ancient heart of the early Church.

The title Theotokos is one that invites us into the hallowed heart of a woman from Nazareth named Mary.

The title Theotokos is one that invites us into the authentic heart of what Christmas is really about.

ADVENT Advent is a time to prepare. The Latin translation of the word Advent means “to come.” We are waiting for Him, for Christ, for the Messiah i

Theotokos to come.

In the second Advent Preface for the Eucharistic Prayer we pray, “In His love Christ has filled us with joy as we prepare to celebrate His birth, so that when He comes He may find us watching in prayer, our hearts filled with wonder and praise.”

Listen to the profound invitation, “we prepare to celebrate His birth, so that when He comes He may find us watching in prayer.” His birth.

When He comes. Christmas is about a person, a real person, and His name is Jesus.

We find ourselves in the midst of the secular Christmas season. An array of decorations line our streets, accentuate our favorite department stores, and fill our living rooms. There are parties to attend, presents to buy, and holiday gatherings to prepare for. In many ways our culture is gearing up for the big day—December 25th.

However, Christmas isn’t about a day—it’s about a person. Christmas is about Christ. We prepare for Him. We prepare for the one who will show us the face of God. We prepare for Isaiah’s promised Bridegroom who will wed humanity to God forever. We prepare for Isaiah’s suffering servant who will eventually free us from our sins. We do prepare, but we prepare for a person.

There is no better way to prepare for a person than to prepare with a person. Thus, we spend time this Advent preparing for Jesus with the woman who spent the very first Advent preparing for Jesus. We spend this Advent with Mary, the Theotokos.

Over the next four weeks you’ll get to know the Theotokos. You’ll spend time with her, hear her voice, and taste her heart. As she conceives God in her womb, you’ll be with her. As she has that anxious conversation with Joseph, you’ll be with her. As she journeys 90 miles to Bethlehem, fully pregnant, tired, and with contractions looming, you’ll be with her.

Welcome to Advent, for we will prepare. Welcome to Mary, for she will teach you about her Son. Welcome to Theotokos, an Advent retreat. ii

Theotokos HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE Theotokos is a resource that you can use to go on retreat in the midst of your busy life. People go on retreat all the time, and people go on lots of different retreats. Some retreats are at monasteries, others are at retreat centers, and still others are at churches. Regardless of how or where, retreat is essentially a time in a person’s life where they commit to being present to God—to pray, to listen, and to receive.

But, you’re busy, and you can’t get away, right? That’s okay. This retreat is just for you. While you may not be able to get away for several days, the mere fact that you’re reading this right now is a sign that you’re hungry for more. If you want to reconnect with God - and want some help in doing so - then this “retreat” is just for you.

GETTING STARTED The first thing you’ll need is commitment. In John 15:16 we read, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” Jesus has called you on retreat. So, when you commit to praying everyday, you commit to a person, Jesus.

Find a place—a room, a church, a park, wherever. Find a place where you can focus on God without distractions.

Next, you’ll need time. Ask Jesus to show you how to find the time.

You are busy, and perhaps in order to find 20-30 minutes each day you may need to sacrifice doing some of your favorite things.

Finally, if you miss a day, forgive yourself and don’t skip ahead. Follow the days in order, even if you miss a day. The meditations build on each other sequentially.

IM AGINATIV E PRAYER Each day’s reflection will end with “FOR YOUR PRAYER.” There, you will be given a brief Scripture passage to pray with. Read the passage once. Get familiar with the text, the words, etc.

Slowly read the passage a second time. Pay attention to how you feel as you read. Pay attention to which words “strike” you.

Next, use your imagination to pray with the passage. In his book, iii

Theotokos Meditation and Contemplation, Rev. Tim Gallagher, O.M.V. writes, “In this manner of praying, Saint Ignatius tells us, we imaginatively see the persons in the Bible passage, we hear the words they speak, and we observe the actions they accomplish in the event.” So, “jump in” the Scripture passage. Be in the scene. Be with Mary. Be with Joseph. Once the “scene” comes to its natural conclusion, continue with A.R.R.R. A.R. R. R. A.R.R.R. stands for—Acknowledge, Relate, Receive, Respond.

You have sat with God’s Word. You have entered into the scene. Now, once you feel God is saying something to you, acknowledge what stirs within you. Pay attention to your thoughts, feelings, and desires. These are really, really important.

Once you’ve acknowledged what’s going on inside your heart, relate that to God. Don’t just think about them. Don’t just think about God. Don’t just think about how God might react. Relate to God. Tell Him how you feel. Tell Him what you think. Tell Him what you want. Share all your thoughts, feelings, and desires with God. Share ever ything w it h Hi m .

Once you’ve shared everything with God, receive. Listen to what He’s telling you. It could be a subtle voice you hear. It could be a memory that pops up. Maybe He invites you to re-read the Scripture passage.

Perhaps you feel something in your body. Perhaps he invites you into a still, restful, silence. Trust that God is listening to you and receive what He wants to share with you.

Now respond however you want. It could be more conversation. It could be a resolution. It could be tears or laughter. Respond to what you’re receiving.

Finally, journal. Keep a record this Advent of what your prayer was like. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering, it could be a sentence or two about what God told you or how that day’s reflection struck you.

Regardless of how you do it—journal. iv

Theotokos

iv

Theotokos

The First Week o f Advent

NAZAR E T H It a l l st ar te d in Naz aret h.

Na zare t h was a p o or, sma l l v i l l age l au g habl e to t he R omans w ho o cc upie d her and i ns i g ni f i c ant to t he Je ws w ho sur rounde d her.

T hat’s how G o d li ke d it , for w he n G o d s aw Na zaret h He s aw e mpt i ne ss, humi lit y, and utter dep endenc y.

For G o d t hat’s a re c ip e for Glor y.

Whe n G o d gaz e d on Naz are t h He s aw her— Mar y, His chos e n T heotokos .

It w as i n Naz are t h t hat young Mar y live d.

She was in he r e arly te e ns … and she was s e arch ing for G o d’s w i l l.

She was in love w it h G o d … and she d e s i re d to love Him w it h her w hole b eing .

She was in Naz are t h … and she we nt to pray … and t hat’s w he re ou r j our ne y b eg ins.

1

Theotokos Sunday of the First Week of Advent PACE “The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth” (Luke 1:26) Nazareth was a small village of Galilee in northern Palestine. To many, it was a town of little or no importance. In fact, in John 1:46, Nathanael scoffs at the village’s insignificance as he asks, “What good can come from Nazareth?”

As an insignificant village tucked away on the outskirts of the Sea of Galilee, not much was happening in Nazareth. It was small. It was poor. It was simple. The pace of life in Nazareth was much like the pace of life in any small town. Nazareth escaped the busy hustle and bustle of the big city.

The city was small.

Life was simple.

The pace was slower.

Mary, as a native, would have had an inner disposition reflective of the village she grew up in. The outer pace of Nazareth helped create an inner pace within Mary.

The secular Christmas season we find ourselves in is anything but small, simple, and slow. In fact, for many of us, the pace of life quickens as Christmas nears. There are presents to buy, parties to attend, and holidays to plan.

As the world around us accelerates into frenzy, Advent actually invites us to slow down. Just as Nazareth’s pace formed the Theotokos, Mary wants to slow us down so that we can receive as she did.

Slow down. Get quiet. Listen. After all, what’s the rush? What are we really preparing for?

2

Theotokos FOR YOUR PRAYER

Mary would have often prayed with Psalm 131. Prep your imaginative prayer by slowly reading Psalm 131. Then, imaginatively pray with Luke 1:26 and ask the Holy Spirit to “show” you life in Nazareth.

“Father, regardless of how busy my life is on the outside, I pray that you will help me slow down on the inside.”

3

Theotokos Monday of the First Week of Advent Empty “to a virgin betrothed” (Luke 1:27) In her classic contemplation on Mary entitled, The Reed of God, Caryll Houselander wrote, “That virginal quality, for want of a better word, I call emptiness.” Mary’s virginity can be more personally understood through her profound emptiness.

Numbers 30:4-6 outlines prescriptions for a Jewish woman vowed to perpetual virginity and complete consecration to the Lord. Steeped in Biblical wisdom, the early Desert Fathers wrote that Mary vowed such Old Testament consecration, embracing the fullness of Biblical virginity. In other words, Mary had long intended to remain a virgin and had made such a promise to God before and after the betrothal.

Mary’s virginity points us to her emptiness. She was empty of anything that was not of God. She was empty of anything that would prevent her from resting in her deep union with the Father. Yes, she was empty; however, her emptiness wasn’t a “lacking” in essence. Her emptiness came from her deep union, a union so important to her that she had made a vow of virginity even as a married woman.

Many of us panic at the sheer thought of emptiness. A subtly compulsive need of always having to have something fill us is an epidemic fed by the pace at which we live. We are encouraged to fill our lives with more and more so that we won’t have to face our fear of emptiness. The emptiness of the Theotokos is an invitation to us. What needs to be emptied from our lives? What are we filling our lives with, yet remaining unfulfilled in the end?

Spend some time with Mary and ask her what needs emptying so that you might receive as she did.

4

Theotokos FOR YOUR PRAYER

Mary would have often prayed with Psalm 63. Prep your imaginative prayer by slowly reading Psalm 63. Then, imaginatively pray with Luke 1:27 and ask the Holy Spirit to “show” you Mary in Nazareth.

“Father, I ask for the grace today to empty my heart of anything that is not of you.”

5

Š 2008 by Reverend Mark Toups.

All rights reserved.

This retreat may not be reproduced without the permission of Reverend Mark Toups The Institute for Priestly Formation 2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178.

Theotokos

iv