Nativity 9

The son of her voice, with whom Tamar spoke to her father-in-law, like the prayer of Sarah, the hope of her mother; like the God of her, her lover and her son; like the son of man, in fear and love. It is fitting for your mother that she stand before you. The hidden one: praise to you on the day of your birth. From your flock, the son of the Creator, you are like your father. Like a worker, he worked him in the womb. A pure body he put on and came forth, and he clothed glory in weakness. Through the mercies that came from the side of his father. From Melchizedek, the great priest, a type came to you: the throne and the crown. From the house of David, the tribe and the race. From Abraham, with whom Tamar spoke: "Now to her father-in-law, as your mother to you, you were to me a womb for your sake." The great sea, behold its hymns, of your father David, with his words. Again, of the prophets, in the form of ships, sufficient for the catch of your great wealth. David, your father, the psalmist, of one hundred and fifty-two psalms, like a garland he wove for you and came. Or, O victorious one, with them you will be crowned, and upon the right hand you will ascend and sit. That great garland, that of the psalms, which is woven with the water with which you will be crowned. Your divinity, a small garland, which with ten psalms crowned the head of your humanity. O triumphant one, your sake, the women ran after men. Tamar concealed the staff. The man who widowed and the love of the poor. The man who was old, and also Rahab, who shamed men. In you she was captivated. Tamar went out in darkness, she chose light, and in impurity she chose holiness, and in fornication she chose a cause for you, the honorable one.

He brings forth the palms from the shadows. See him: the staff, the branch, and the shoot, as if he disturbed the memory of the just one, and she did not fear the stone and the sword, nor did she cut off the teacher of the husband. The husband was all for you; he was your vessel, for the husband of Tamar was holy. Because of you she was thirsty, a pure desire. Judah uncovered her, from your thigh the thirsty one was satisfied. She chose your thigh from its source. She was a widow because of you, for you she trembled, ran, and became. Again, the little one because of you, for you she swam, guarded, and became. The sanctified one, for you she loved, she thought to take your wealth. Let Moab come and rejoice, Tamar, that her lord came, proclaimed her name, over the son of her lord, also her covering. He was calling you to come to him. In you the precious ones were humbled, bending all for you, she chose. The house of the ways of the head of the way, to the house of the kingdom of life she chose. The sword of her people was not enough, she thought to catch a man in the threshing floor and fell. Because of you she hastened her love, because of you she taught boldness. To all the repentant she entrusted her hands, over all voices because of your voice. The completion that she conceived in the bed of Boaz, ascended and fell, saw the great priest, who hid the fire in his bosom for his incense. She ran and became the heifer of Boaz, for you she bore the bull of the manger. For the little one she gathered because of your love, she shook the leaves, her reward quickly, the reward of her lowliness instead of branches, the root of kings and instead of leaves, the rock of life that descended from her.