Archimandrite Theofilos Lemontzis, D. Th.
‘The storms of life swarm round me like bees round a honey-comb and have taken possession of my heart, while spears of afflictions pierce me’. Thus sings the hymnographer in the Great Supplicatory Canon. He compares the cares of daily life with bees. Just as bees make a humming noise in the hive by the movement of their wings, so the cares of daily life swarm round us, giving us no peace, day or night. They torment us and bring us to despair.
At the same time however, the hymn-writer- and we ourselves- set our hope on our Lady, the Mother of God: ‘And where, then shall I find other defence? Where shall I flee? And where shall I be saved? What other fervent helper shall I have in the tribulations and storms of life which have so buffeted me? In you alone do I hope, draw courage and boast and I hasten to find sanctuary with you: save me’. In other words, we recognize that there’s no other anchor of hope, no other fervent helper,…
