BVM Series : The Burning Bush | A Precursor of Blessed Virgin Mary

BVM bore Christ in her virginal womb as the bush on Mount of Horeb bore God in its flame

Mulmarameriyaatheri thyee than naduvil-kandathupol
Chinmayanamariaamil vasichusareempoondu..…… 

‘As the fire enflamed the bush, yet did not it burn,
So did God come down and well in the virgin’s womb,
He was incarnate of her, losing not the virgin seal’.

“And the LORD appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt.” – Ex. 3: 2. Moses, the great Prophet Leader and lawgiver of Israel; stood in awe on Mount Horeb, with his sandals beside as commanded by the LORD as the place was holy. He heard the pre-incarnate Word (Logos) of God and saw the bush on fire. The fire inside was aflame, but did not consume it and in fact remained intact. The same was true with the Theotokos Mary, who carried the fire of Divinity nine months in her holy body without blemishing her virginity, (Lk. 1: 31-32), but she ascended to the heights of unattainable holiness and remained a virgin in her motherhood.

It is a precursor type of Mary the spotless Virgin. Just like the fire that blazed brightly and brilliantly, did not consume or damage the bush, the Divinity of our Lord did not consume Virgin Mary, nor was her virginity affected by giving birth. He is a ‘consuming fire’ (Heb. 12: 29). The fire burning inside the bush is a symbol of Christ and the bush itself symbolizes the Virgin, who carried God in her womb. The burning bush is also a symbol of Lord Jesus Christ Himself for the fire did not turn into a bush nor the bush into fire, the same way His Divine nature was united with His Human nature without mingling, confusion, or alteration.

St. Ephraim also says, “She bore Christ in her virginal womb as the bush on Mount of Horeb bore God in its flame.” Also, as the union of Divinity and Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ resembles the union of coal and fire, therefore, St. Mary the Virgin, who bore within her that Union, resembles the censer.  We affirm this truth in the hymns that we sing before the unveiling of the chancel before Holy Eucharist. The hymn ‘Dhanye Maathave’ shows this symbolism

Seenai Sailathi – moosha darsicha,
Mulkkoottam kanye! – nin chithram thane.

Maathaave! mullai – kandaan nin deham,
Thee theendaanjora – ppathram kanyaathvam, Haaleluiah – Haaleluiah,
Anthar bhaagaagni – garbhasthan daivam.

‘Bush which Moses saw – upon Mount Sinai, was your right symbol – O! holy Virgin. Leaves that did not burn – do sure represent Your virginity; your body was bush; Haleluiah Haleluiah, Fire in the bush, God – who did dwell in you’..

“And the LORD appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt.” She bore Christ in her virgin womb as the bush on Mount of Horeb bore God in its flame.”

‘Bush which Moses saw – upon Mount Sinai, was your right symbol – Leaves that did not burn – do sure represent Your virginity; your body was bush;       

O! holy Virgin. Pray for us sinners!!!