The Dormition of the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary: Tradition relates that the Mother of God died in Jerusalem, after a visit with all of Christ’s apostles. They carried her coffin to the Garden of Gethsemane where it was placed into a tomb. The apostle Thomas came late and asked that the tomb be opened so that he could revere her body. When opened, the tomb was found empty except for the winding burial shroud.
O Theotokos, in giving birth you preserved virginity; and in your falling asleep you did not forsake the world. You are the Mother of Life and have been transferred to life, and through your prayers you deliver our souls from death.
The grave and death did not detain the Theotokos. She intercedes without rest and is our unfailing hope of protection; for he who dwelt in the womb of the Ever Virgin transferred to life the Mother of Life.
Philippians 2: 5-11
Brothers and sisters: Your attitude must be that of Christ: Though he was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, and it was thus that he humbles himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross! Because of this, God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name about every other name, so that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
Luke 10: 38-42, 11: 27-28
At that time Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to Jesus and said, “Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me.”
The Lord in reply said to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it.”
While he was saying this a woman from the crowd called out, “Blest is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” Jesus replied, “Rather, blest are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”
2 Corinthians 5: 15-21
Brothers and sisters: Christ died for all so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who for their sakes died and was raised up. Because of this we no longer look on anyone in terms of mere human judgment. If at one time we so regarded Christ, we no longer know him by this standard. This means that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old order has passed away; now all is new! All this has been done by God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. I mean that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not counting men’s transgressions against them, and that he has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us. This makes us ambassadors for Christ, God as it were appealing through us. We implore you, in Christ’s name: be reconciled to God! For our sakes God made him who did not know sin, to be sin, so that in him we might become the very holiness of God.
Mark 1: 16-22
At that time as Jesus made his way along the Sea of Galilee, he observed Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me; I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately abandoned their nets and became his followers. Proceeding a little farther along, he caught sight of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They too were in their boat putting their nets in order. Jesus summoned them on the spot. They abandoned their father, Zebedee, who was in the boat with the hired men, and went off in Jesus’ company. Shortly afterward they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach. The people were spellbound by his teaching because he taught with authority, and not like the scribes.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Monday, August 14 –
