THE KING SHALL GREATLY DESIRE THY BEAUTY

 

THE KING SHALL GREATLY DESIRE THY BEAUTY

Has the following verse ever caught your attention during the chanting of the Paraklesis to the Theotokos?

Verse from the Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos: Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; and forget thine own people, and thy father’s house; and the King shall greatly desire thy beauty.

As it says: And the King shall greatly desire thy beauty...very inspiring, but there is a precondition. Contemplate: Only God knows how well I am doing in struggling for my salvation. Yes, as a proclaimed follower of Jesus Christ, I know I NEED saving, but from who? One may ask, who holds me captive that I need to be rescued? Think about it, just about anyone can hold your body captive but only one can hold your soul captive in this life! Who is it? Its not Satan or a fallen angel, its not Christ because He doesn't enslave. Give up? Its YOU! Why isn't it Satan? Because he cannot force you but he is great at whispering suggestions to your mind and knows what tempts you - he is of no consequence, however, no none at all, unless you yield to him! He knows you are a Christian but when he sees you in ceaseless remembrance of Christ, he runs, just as he does when sees the Precious Body and Blood of our Creator on your tongue (+St. John Chrysostomos). Contrary to a popular belief we are not guilty of Adam and Eve's sin, "Original Sin" but, like them, we indeed commit the same sin and suffer the the same consequences of it, the consequences placed on them and on us, their children. However, from the verse there is something that not only negates the consequences and expedites the rescue, but, in utter joy attracts the ineffable desire of our King and Father Jesus Christ! Think! You can actually unveil the beauty that sin hides the uncreated image and likeness of God Himself breathed in you and in doing so He will GREATLY desire your beauty! In fact, He already desires you but the psalmist says: GREATLY! How? Simple. Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; and forget thine own people, and thy father’s house; and the King shall greatly desire thy beauty.
Don't be confused. To forget our friends, relatives, wives, husbands, children and neighbors, who Christ commands that we love as much as ourselves, simply means to wholeheartedly prefer/love for God over them. In doing so, we will NOT love them less but more, even much like Christ's love for all of us, Who in love for us, took on flesh from the Virgin, Who in love for us allowed Himself to be Crucified, Who in love for us rose from the dead and in love for us Ascended into Heaven. So, forget all like a dead man does with this life, and you have raised your hand to Him Who reaches and takes you by the hand, hand in hand, into Paradise.

Great art Thou O Lord and marvelous are Thy works, and words cannot suffice to sing the praises of Thy Wonders!