He Who Sustains All Came to Birth

“The lofty one become like a little child, yet hidden in Him was
a treasure of wisdom that suffices for all.
He was lofty but he sucked Mary’s milk,
and from His blessings all creation sucks.
He is the Living breast of living breath;
by His life the dead were suckled, and they revived.
Without the breath of air no one can live;
without the power of the Son no on can rise.
Upon the living breath of the One Who vivifies all
depend the living beings above and below.
As indeed He sucked Mary’s milk,
He has given suck–life to the universe.
As again He dwelt in His mother’s womb,
in His womb dwells all creation.
Mute He was as a babe, yet He gave
to all creation all His commands.
For without the First-born no one is able
to approach Being, for He alone is capable of it.” St. Ephrem the Syrian

St. Ephrem the Syrian, Hymn 4 on The Nativity in the collection; McVey, K. E. (1989). Ephrem the Syrian. Hymns on the Nativity, Hymns against Julian, Hymns on Virginity and on the Symbols of the Lord. p100-101

The One Who gives life to all being and gives succour to the whole world came and became small that He might be contained in the womb of The Theotokos. St. Ephrem purpose positions it that the dead were suckled and revived by Him because the Lord comes to humanity that He may grant us Life (John 10.10). Let us put off the dead and earthly life and come to God for He has come to us. In the words of St. Macarius the Great,

“For to whatever thing one’s heart is tied and where his desire draws him, that is his God. If the heart always desires God, He is Lord of His heart.” St. Macarius the Great

Macarius, Aegyptius. The Fifty Spiritual Homilies; And, The Great Letter. Paulist Press, 1992. Homily 42, Chapter 3