What Mary might well have said to Martha, the Lord, anticipating her, replied that she had left everything to sit at the Lord's feet, and bless God all day long. You see, her sitting was for love's sake.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century
But that God's word may be made clearer, listen to this. If any one loves Jesus, and attends to Him in earnest, and not in a casual way, but in love abides by Him, God is already devising to make some return to that soul for its love, although the man does not know what he is to receive or what portion God is about to give to the soul.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century
For this reason the Lord, who knew what He gave her, said, Mary has chosen the good part. But after a time the things which Martha had done so eagerly in the way of service brought her to that gift of grace. She too received divine power in her soul.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century
Receptacle of great graces ... she only is the frontier between created and uncreated nature, and there is no man that shall come to God except he be truly illumined through her ... It was through the Theotokos alone that the Lord came to us.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
There came to pass in the womb not a union only, but further, a formation, and that thing formed from the Power of the Most High and the all-holy virginal womb was the incarnate Word of God.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
How indeed could that body suffer corruption and turn to earth? ... The 'ark of holiness' (Ps. 131:8) is resurrected, after the prophetic ode, together with Christ ... by her ascension ... uniting those on high with those below ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
... and these words entering into her heart were made a soul to her soul and a spirit to her spirit, and a divine power was filled into her heart. Where that power shall lodge, it cannot but abide permanently, as a possession not to be taken away.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century
Thus she exalted those under her through herself, and, showing while on earth obedience to things heavenly rather than things earthly, she partook of more excellent deserts and of superior power.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
In this manner she was in the beginning 'a little lower than the angels' (Ps. 8:6), as it is said, referring to her mortality, yet this only served to magnify her pre-eminence as regards all creatures ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
When Mary loved Him, and sat at His feet, the gift that was added to her was no casual gift; He gave her a certain hidden virtue from His own substance. The very words which God spoke in peace to Mary were so many spirits, and a power; ...
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century
The death of the Theotokos was also life-bearing, translating her into a celestial and immortal life ... Its commemoration not merely renews the memory of the wondrous deeds of the Mother of God, but also adds thereto the strange gathering at her all-sacred burial of all the sacred apostles conveyed from every nation ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
Thus the Word of God took up His dwelling in the Theotokos in an inexpressable manner and proceeded from her, bearing flesh ... This is the encomium which transcends nature and the surpassingly glorious glory of the Ever-Virgin ... she was also rightly glorified and exalted together with Him ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
A most mystical economy of courtship came to pass as regards the Virgin, a strange greeting surpassing speech which the Archangel, descended from above, addressed to her, and disclosures and salutations from God which overturn the condemnation of Eve and Adam and remedy the curse laid on them, transforming it into a blessing ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century
She alone in her body, glorified by God, now enjoys the celestial realm together with her Son. For earth and grave and death did not hold forever her life-originating and God-receiving body - the dwelling more favored than Heaven and the Heaven of heavens ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century