THINE IS THE POWER AND THE GLORY - Church of the Virgin ...

But You the Holy, born of the Holy Spirit, the only Holy One,Thine is the blessing forever Amen.You first gave You. blessing to the criminal on Your right,when You brought him with You to Paradise. With thisblessing, You blessed the foolish of the world and disgracedthe wise, You blessed the weak porcelain vessels thatcarried Your Holy Name...Who ever thought those weak fishermen would become in Yourhands, like the five loaves and fill up the whole world, "...theirline has gone out through all the earth, and their words to theend of the world. " (Ps. 19..4). Who ever thought this scaredgroup hiding in the upper room would go and face emperors,philosophies and religions, and fill the whole world... It is Yourblessing that was given to our mother Rebekah, when You saidto her, "Our sister, may you become The mother ofthousands of ten thousands; And may your descendantspossess The gates of those who hate them. " (Gen. 24:60).Indeed Lord, Thine is the Power...The sin hid the blessing, so, when the sin was taken awayfrom us, the blessing returned. You restored Man to his firstrank, as You said to him in compassion, "I will make you agreat nation; I will bless you And make your name great; Andyou shall be a blessing." (Gen. 12:2). We ask You to keep yourblessing on us, with all its grace and abundance... Let theblessing we heard on the sixth day return to us, when You said."Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. "(Gen. 1:28).55