On the Mother of God

We are blessed to have these rich tapestries of Marian devotion from an early church father in our own language. Already mentioned by another reviewer is the quality of translation from Mary Hansbury. She retained the flowing poetic nature of these homilies so well, it is hard to imagine them in any language other than english. The historical value in finding how well-developed the devotion to Mary was in Jacob's time will be enlightening for many. Marian devotion should always work as a signpost directing us to Jesus - and Jacob of Serug's verse does just that. Extensive footnotes also provide narrative background on many of the images expressed that might seem obscure to the modern reader. It is a wonderful tool for prayerful worship in devotions and well worth referring to again and again for the rich imagery in it's verse. Many thanks to St. Vladimir's and to Dr. Hansbury for this sweet offering of devotional prayer.

Saint Vladimir's Seminary Press, and the translator Mary Hansbury, are to be thanked for making these poetical meditations and homilies by Jacob of Serug (451-522) available to the public. Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and anyone who recognizes the Virgin as "the mother of holy hope" (Sirach 24) will be deeply moved by this fairly slender but devout volume.There are times when Jacob of Serug seems to repeat himself in the fashion of much ancient poetry; nonetheless, the repetitions rarely give the impression of being gratuitous. The mysteries explored in these four homilies (each homily a poem of more than 20 pages) are the Annunication, the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, and the Dormition of Mary. A section of Homily 1 speaks of Mary as the New Eve, restoring grace to fallen humanity. And from Homily 3:"O cloud of mercy, which is full of hope for all the world, all the earth which had been ravaged was pacified by it."O ship of riches in which the Father's treasury was sent to the poor in a needy place and it enriched them!"O field, which without a ploughman yielded a sheaf of life, and all creation that had been needy was satiated by it."O virginal vine, which though not pruned gave a cluster, behold by whose wine creation, which was mourning, rejoices."Daughter of poor ones, who was mother to the only rich One, behold whose treasures are lavished on mendicants to enrich them."