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Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna

Methodius of Olympus

Section 13

About this work

Author: Methodius of Olympus

XIII. But here, as in port, putting in

‹ Section 12 Section 14 ›

the

vessel

that

bears

the

ensign

of

the

cross

,

let

us

reef

the

sails

of

our

oration

,

in

order

that

it

may

be

with

itself

commensurate

.

Only

first

,

in

as

few

words

as

possible

,

let

us

salute

the

city

of

the

Great

King

together

with

the

whole

body

of

the

Church

,

as

being

present

with

them

in

spirit

,

and

keeping

holy

-

day

with

the

Father

,

and

the

brethren

most

held

in

honour

there

.

Hail

,

thou

city

of

the

Great

King

,

in

which

the

mysteries

of

our

salvation

are

consummated

.

Hail

,

thou

heaven

upon

earth

,

Sion

,

the

city

that

is

for

ever

faithful

unto

the

Lord

.

Hail

,

and

shine

thou

Jerusalem

,

for

thy

light

is

come

,

the

Light

Eternal

,

the

Light

for

ever

enduring

,

the

Light

Supreme

,

the

Light

Immaterial

,

the

Light

of

one

substance

with

God

and

the

Father

,

the

Light

which

is

in

the

Spirit

,

and

in

which

is

the

Father

;

the

Light

which

illumines

the

ages

;

the

Light

which

gives

light

to

mundane

and

supramundane

things

,

Christ

our

very

God

.

Hail

,

city

sacred

and

elect

of

the

Lord

.

Joyfully

keep

thy

festal

days

,

for

they

will

not

multiply

so

as

to

wax

old

and

pass

away

.

Hail

,

thou

city

most

happy

,

for

glorious

things

are

spoken

of

thee

;

thy

priest

shall

be

clothed

with

righteousness

,

and

thy

saints

shall

shout

for

joy

,

and

thy

poor

shall

be

satisfied

with

bread

.

Hail

!

rejoice

,

O

Jerusalem

,

for

the

Lord

reigneth

in

the

midst

of

thee

.

That

Lord

,

I

say

,

who

in

His

simple

and

immaterial

Deity

,

entered

our

nature

,

and

of

the

virgin’s

womb

became

ineffably

incarnate

;

that

Lord

,

who

was

partaker

of

nothing

else

save

the

lump

of

Adam

,

who

was

by

the

serpent

tripped

up

.

For

the

Lord

laid

not

hold

of

the

seed

of

angels

—

those

,

I

say

,

who

fell

not

away

from

that

beauteous

order

and

rank

that

was

assigned

to

them

from

the

beginning

.

To

us

He

condescended

,

that

Word

who

was

always

with

the

Father

co

-

existent

God

.

Nor

,

again

,

did

He

come

into

the

world

to

restore

;

nor

will

He

restore

,

as

has

been

imagined

by

some

impious

advocates

of

the

devil

,

those

wicked

demons

who

once

fell

from

light

;

but

when

the

Creator

and

Framer

of

all

things

had

,

as

the

most

divine

Paul

says

,

laid

hold

of

the

seed

of

Abraham

,

and

through

him

of

the

whole

human

race

,

He

was

made

man

for

ever

,

and

without

change

,

in

order

that

by

His

fellowship

with

us

,

and

our

joining

on

to

Him

,

the

ingress

of

sin

into

us

might

be

stopped

,

its

strength

being

broken

by

degrees

,

and

itself

as

wax

being

melted

,

by

that

fire

which

the

Lord

,

when

He

came

,

sent

upon

the

earth

.

Hail

to

thee

,

thou

Catholic

Church

,

which

hast

been

planted

in

all

the

earth

,

and

do

thou

rejoice

with

us

.

Fear

not

,

little

flock

,

the

storms

of

the

enemy

,

for

it

is

your

Father’s

good

pleasure

to

give

you

the

kingdom

,

and

that

you

should

tread

upon

the

necks

of

your

enemies

.

Hail

,

and

rejoice

,

thou

that

wast

once

barren

,

and

without

seed

unto

godliness

,

but

who

hast

now

many

children

of

faith

.

Hail

,

thou

people

of

the

Lord

,

thou

chosen

generation

,

thou

royal

priesthood

,

thou

holy

nation

,

thou

peculiar

people

—

show

forth

His

praises

who

hath

called

you

out

of

darkness

into

His

marvellous

light

;

and

for

His

mercies

glorify

Him

.

Notes

111
Ps. xlviii. 2; Matt. v. 35; Isa. i. 26.
112
Isa. lx. 1; Ps. lxxxvii. 3; Ps. cxxxii. 16.
113
Isa. xii. 6.
114
Heb. ii. 16.
115
Luke xii. 49.
116
[Here is an apostrophe to the Church, a hymn to “the Elect Lady.” See, illustrating note 17, p. 390, supra.]
117
τρικυμίας, stormy waves. Latin, decumani fluctus. Methodius perhaps alludes to Diocletian’s persecution, in which he perished as a martyr.—Tr.
118
Luke xii. 32.
119
Isa. liv. 1.
120
1 Pet. ii. 9.