Nativity 16

Son of his voice, do not think that I am too small for you to be also with me, and also with everyone you are God. To one who is like you, you are Lord; to one who serves you, you are brother; to one who loves you, you give life to all. When you dwelt in me, I was in me and outside my womb; your greatness dwelt, and when I gave birth to you, again your hidden power was revealed. Do not be troubled, my womb: you are within my womb, and you are outside my womb, showing to his mother that I may see your image, that outer one, while before my eyes your image is hidden. Your hidden image is painted in my thought, I saw Adam, and in that hidden one I saw your father who mingles in you. Only for me, through two images, I showed your beauty; your form is like bread. Also thought began with bread, and in its eaters, hidden and revealed, your Church will see you like your mother, who partakes of your bread; he is like the one who partakes of your body; even the distant one who loves your bread is also near; he who loves your image in bread and body. The first and the last have seen you; your bread is heavy for the child, better than your body, for they saw your body, and even the deniers do not see it. The distant ones rejoiced in your living bread; their coming overcame the near ones. Behold, your image is made with the blood of grapes, above bread, and made upon the heart with the finger of love from the sacraments of faith. Blessed is he who passed over engraved images and depicted the truth. Not in a mind that is dark did I confine you, for you are new in your womb, and your birth is a wonder without spirit. I will sing to you a new song; behold, bitterness boils within me.

I call you "Son," I call you "Memory," for he was Memory, the Son. I call you "Lord," I call you "Begetter of his mother." Another Son from within the waters. A sister I am, for from the house of David, he is father of two. A mother I am again, because of your belly and the purchased one I am, because of your holiness a handmaid and a daughter. Of blood and water you baptized, you immersed. A high Son came and dwelt in me, and I became his mother, and as if I gave birth to him, another Son gave birth to me also. A Son of two to the bosom of his mother, who put on his body, she put on his glory. To Tamar who is from the house of David, the shame of her father-in-law and virginity from the house of both fell and was lost. My pearl did not perish; in your treasury it is placed, which you put on. In all your purchased virgins, [they are adorned for you] with your jewels, and no ruler is able to approach them, but rather a king in virginity. Like a bridal chamber she is for you, great of priests. From Tamar the scent of her father-in-law, which with spices she purchased, the purchased one of Joseph. Nor did the trap of her sisters catch him, for the wall of the city was pregnant with the arrow. Your belly became for me a holy son, a fragrant fruit, for the scent was strong, for the glory of the bridal chamber was not lacking. She placed spices on the flame, and on its scents she removed the flesh, for she saw in the womb a belly of spirit. A serving woman ministered before a man who is her head; Joseph stood to serve before his Lord, for within Mary the priest serves before your tomb because of your holiness.

Moses was perplexed by the tablets of stone, on which his Lord wrote and which Joseph erased. The tablet of the ark, in which he dwelt, the son of the carpenter, became the tablets of the word of the world from your teaching.