This mystery consists not only in the fact that here the boundary between man and all creation, heavenly and earthly, is destroyed, the boundary that we feel so clearly when we live in this "temporal world," but also in the fact that through divine services we overcome the very boundaries of the "time of current nature" and enter the world of eternity. Consequently, there is nothing temporary in the divine services, but everything lives in eternity.

Usually, we see the meaning of celebrating this or that event from the life of Jesus Christ or the Mother of God in going to church, listening to the Gospel and hymns telling about events that took place a long time ago, and remembering these events. This is how we can treat today's holiday. Church tradition tells us that about 2000 years ago the Most Holy Virgin was born in the Galilean city of Nazareth from elderly parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna. It tells us that by her birth the Virgin Mary loosed the bonds of their barrenness and gave them great joy. The hymns of today tell us about this, and, apparently, the whole meaning of the holiday comes down to remembering these events.

But if we turn to the text of the hymns themselves and try to delve into the meaning of what their creators say, then we will be convinced that such an attitude to the feast is characteristic only of external people who do not understand the mysteries of church life. In reality, the hymns of the feast say something completely different. In the stichera of today's Vespers we heard: "Today the barren gates are opened, and the Divine Virgin Door is coming," "Today is the proclamation of the Universal Joy; today the winds have been blown, the herald of our salvation; of our nature, barrenness is resolved", and, finally, "Today the barren Anna gives birth to the Virgin of God" (Service of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos: on "Lord I have cried" stichera 4, 5, 6).

What does this "today" mean? ("today barrenness is resolved", "today Anna gives birth to the Virgin of God"). Are these only the techniques of figurative poetic speech, or is there some other meaning in these words?

If we reason from the point of view of the wisdom of this age, then the assertion of the real meaning of these words is madness. After all, all this happened a long time ago. But for those who "philosophize spiritually" (Rom. 8:5), everything that was accomplished "for our sake and for our salvation" not only happened in time, but also in eternity.

Therefore, when we hear today that "now the Virgin is pure from Anna," the gates of Eternity open to us.

The divine services of today tell us that the birth of the Most Holy Virgin was a joy not only for Her parents and relatives who lived in Nazareth, but also became a worldwide joy, that it resolved the barrenness not only of Sts. Righteous Joachim and Anna, but in him "the barrenness of our nature is resolved" and "the life-bearing fruit of the world" is born.

The divine service reveals to us that the Nativity of the Mother of God had significance not only for those who lived in Nazareth in those days, but was accomplished "for our sake and for our salvation," that with Her birth "a bridge of life is born today" (Service of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, canon 1, ode 2), which leads us into eternity.

In glorifying the Lord, we conclude each doxology with the words: "Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages." With these words, St. The Church tells us that the divine service that we perform "today" will be performed "ever and unto the ages of ages," because even now it is performed in Eternity and unites us with eternal life.

This is the great mystery of the divine services, which the Holy Church reveals to us.

Take away from the divine service its innermost meaning, contained in the words "now and ever, and unto the ages of ages," and the source of eternal life flowing in it will be closed to us, you will forever remain cut off from what was and has gone into the irretrievable past, for no one can be present at the birth of his mother or father. But we know that the best of our ascetics, those who were the creators of liturgical hymns and canons, drank from this source of eternal life. They learned from experience that divine services reveal to us the knowledge of Eternity.

And for us, sinners, the most important thing (and this must always be remembered) is to touch this source of knowledge, which is revealed to us through the mystery of divine services.

And for this, while you are still here on earth, with faith, reverence and fear of God, perceive everything that you see and hear in church – everything that is done, sung, read during the divine services.

And when we again enter the annual cycle of divine services, let us remember WHO we are and WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO.