5- THE ICON OF THE SIGN
		
		
		Among the most endeared icons of the Mother of God is the 
		Icon of the Sign. Its Greek title is translated "more 
		spacious than the heavens." These words come from the hymn
		that is sung to the Mother of God in the Divine Liturgy 
		of St. Basil the Great (quoted below). The hymn serves as 
		a parallel to the icon. 
		
		
		The image portrays the Mother of God with the Christ Child
		in her bosom. Christ, in this icon, is a sign that was 
		announced first by the Prophet Isaiah: "Therefore, the 
		Lord Himself will give you this sign: 'The virgin shall 
		be with child, and bear a son, and shall name Him 
		Emmanuel, " (Is. 7: 14) a name that means 'God is with 
		us.' In the icon the sign is Christ -God becoming man. 
		The Son of God is made known to us as the Son of Man. He 
		is true God and true man. The icon celebrates this truth. 
		Through the Virgin Mother of God, He receives His human 
		nature. Thus, "The Lord Whom the heavens could not contain
		is contained in the Virgin." 
		
		
		The Virgin Mother is portrayed with upraised arms, a 
		classical position of prayer. This image of the Mother of 
		God praying is customarily placed in churches in the dome 
		of the apse, behind and overlooking the Holy Table and 
		the worshipping community. This placement indicates that 
		the Mother of God, who presents Christ to the world, also 
		represents us and serves as our model in the prayerful 
		relationship with her Son to which we have been called. 
		
		
		HYMN -In you, O Full of Grace, the angelic choirs and the 
		human race all creation rejoices. In you, 0 Sanctified 
		Temple, Mystical Paradise, and Glory of Virgins, from 
		whom God took flesh, He Who is our God from before all 
		ages became a child. For He made your womb a throne and 
		made it greater than the heavens. In you, 0 Full of Grace,
		all creation rejoices. Glory be to you!
	

		Today I use my power to stop what is no longer good to me
		
		
		Most of us know exactly what it is that creates the pain, 
		confusion, stagnation and disruption in our lives. Weather it 
		is a habit, behavior, relationship or fear, We know. 
		Unfortunately, we seem powerless to stop whatever it is. 
		Sometimes we believe we don't have the discipline or willpower 
		to stop. The behavior becomes so habitual we do it without 
		thinking. Other times we know exactly what it is and what we 
		do, but we simply keep doing it anyway. We are the only ones 
		responsible for what goes on in our lives. We can make excuses 
		and blame others, but we are responsible to and for ourselves. 
		When we find something or someone creating in our lives that 
		which we do not want, we must muster the courage and strength 
		to stop it.
		
		
		STOP! 
		

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