Preparing for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Soon, we will be in our third day of the fast which lasts for the two weeks before the feast of the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Most Holy Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, on August 15.
This feast is one of my favorites. It is like Easter in summer--a time to celebrate, once again, the victory of life over death. It is a feast rich in meaning. On this the principle feast of the Mother of God, we recall her other appearances in sacred history. We remember the Annunciation, through which the Word became flesh in the womb of the Virgin and through which God came to dwell with us. We remember the Nativity of our Savior, the birthgiving of the Virgin, through which we were able to see God in the flesh, even with our own sin-blinded eyes. We remember the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple and the Wedding at Cana and how our Lord Jesus, even as a child, taught the elders in the Temple. We remember that Jesus' mother was with Him all during His life on this earth--from His birth in a manger to His suffering and death on the cross and His rising from the dead and ascension into heaven.
And even after this, the Mother of God did not disappear into obscurity, but was with the disciples when the Holy Spirit came down in tongues of fire. That she should take part in receiving the Spirit at Pentecost was only fitting, for the Holy Spirit came upon her and the power of the Most High overshadowed her at the Annunciation to make her the Mother of God the Word. And even after Pentecost, her presence continued in the Church as she lovingly ministered to the Apostles and even traveled as a missionary.
It would seem totally ridiculous for someone so important in the life of the Church and in the history of our salvation to become of no consequence after her departure from this world. If we believe that others, whose works were of less importance in the overall scheme of things, are worthy of honor by faithful Christians on earth and of receiving a reward from God in heaven, it would be hypocritical of us not to honor zealously the Blessed Virgin Mary while we continue our earthly sojourn and not to believe that God has given His mother a fitting reward for all her labors.
Indeed, Christ's mother remains with her Son now in eternity just as she was with Him from His conception.
Therefore, since Christ our God has consistently (as befits God) honored His mother and His friends the saints, let us also honor them. Singing psalms is good, says the Prophet David, let us sing hymns to the Mother of God and all the saints and together with them let us glorify the Holy Trinity Who has given us such examples as friends and helpers on our path to heaven. Amen.
This feast is one of my favorites. It is like Easter in summer--a time to celebrate, once again, the victory of life over death. It is a feast rich in meaning. On this the principle feast of the Mother of God, we recall her other appearances in sacred history. We remember the Annunciation, through which the Word became flesh in the womb of the Virgin and through which God came to dwell with us. We remember the Nativity of our Savior, the birthgiving of the Virgin, through which we were able to see God in the flesh, even with our own sin-blinded eyes. We remember the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple and the Wedding at Cana and how our Lord Jesus, even as a child, taught the elders in the Temple. We remember that Jesus' mother was with Him all during His life on this earth--from His birth in a manger to His suffering and death on the cross and His rising from the dead and ascension into heaven.
And even after this, the Mother of God did not disappear into obscurity, but was with the disciples when the Holy Spirit came down in tongues of fire. That she should take part in receiving the Spirit at Pentecost was only fitting, for the Holy Spirit came upon her and the power of the Most High overshadowed her at the Annunciation to make her the Mother of God the Word. And even after Pentecost, her presence continued in the Church as she lovingly ministered to the Apostles and even traveled as a missionary.
It would seem totally ridiculous for someone so important in the life of the Church and in the history of our salvation to become of no consequence after her departure from this world. If we believe that others, whose works were of less importance in the overall scheme of things, are worthy of honor by faithful Christians on earth and of receiving a reward from God in heaven, it would be hypocritical of us not to honor zealously the Blessed Virgin Mary while we continue our earthly sojourn and not to believe that God has given His mother a fitting reward for all her labors.
Indeed, Christ's mother remains with her Son now in eternity just as she was with Him from His conception.
Therefore, since Christ our God has consistently (as befits God) honored His mother and His friends the saints, let us also honor them. Singing psalms is good, says the Prophet David, let us sing hymns to the Mother of God and all the saints and together with them let us glorify the Holy Trinity Who has given us such examples as friends and helpers on our path to heaven. Amen.
posted by Eric John at 10:32 PM
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