In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

Shudder, O ye heavens! and, O earth, give ear unto these words:
God descended once before for our sake; He descends again today for His Mother.

Technically the feast isn't until Friday. However, the Dormition (or Assumption, in the West - this is the same feast, but the title emphasizes a different aspect) is the fourth highest feast in the Church year, following the Paschal feast, Pentecost, and the feast of the Nativity. Church teaching is that all the apostles but Thomas were gathered mystically around the Blessed Mother as she died, and were there for her burial. Thomas, arriving three days later, was taken to her tomb, only to find that it was empty. This Church teaching of the assumption of her body into heaven is not just a pious tradition, but holds some deep spiritual and physical truths for us. It is a sign and reminder to us that not only Christ resurrected bodily, but that we all will rise. Also, we know now, as they didn't then, that all women bear the DNA of each and every child borne to them in their bodies forever. So, by raising His mother, our Lord made sure that His resurrection was complete on this earth. If this had not happened, then He would not be completely risen. What a wonder and miracle! Science, archaelogy, history, always vindicate the Church and her teachings.

So many times, when people deny honor to the Theotokos, it is really a dishonor to the Lord. Even denying her the title Theotokos ends up declaring that Christ was either not God in her womb, or that He is not God incarnate. It is often not intentional, but I think a good question to ask oneself when putting her "in her place" is what does this mean about Christ and His divinity? If it ends up dishonoring Him, calling His divinity into question, or lessening Him, it isn't a good thing. Likewise, so many people say that there is too much honor given her, without actually considering whether or not they honor her enough or even at all. What is just the right amount of honor? Surely it isn't debasing the woman who bore and raised our Lord? Jesus was born a Jew and fulfilled the law. He loved and honored His mother, and as we could not have had Him without her, why would we want that, instead of following His example?

The Archangel Gabriel in the Gospel of Luke hails her and says that God calls her blessed. Her cousin Elizabeth's unborn son, Saint John the Forerunner, leaps at the sound of Mary's voice, and by this does Elizabeth know and proclaim that Mary is the Mother of her Lord. Mary replies by saying that ALL generations will call her blessed. It is in the Scriptures that we are to bless her, that God Himself magnifies her, so why should we not do the same? How can we do less?

We are still swimming in produce and leftovers. We have boxes of produce all over our house right now, as we preserve and use it for the family. This will be a little more difficult this week, because we have fair, and because we have a complicated medical procedure coming up, too. Please pray for all of us this week.

The fast ends this week, and we are fasting within our strength, but poor Jerome will really be fasting at the end of this week, and especially needs your prayers. Our family diet is going to change substantially for a little while, as he will be on a soft food diet for nearly two months.

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Laurence
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Black Bean and Corn Salad with Avocado, Corn Chips, Watermelon, Pizza, Green Salad, Caprese Salad, Mandarin Oranges, all from Parishioners
• Monday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Sliced Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Spanish Poor Man's Potatoes, Portugeuse Spicy Rice, Green Salad, Yellow Watermelon, Leftover Baked Goods from Fair
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Sweet Potato and Hatch Chile Pepper Scramble, Peaches and Nectarines, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Curried Paneer, Basmati Rice, Watermelon Salad
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Tomato Toast, Plums, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Moroccan Spiced Vegetables and Chickpeas, Cous Cous (GF for Jerome), Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Apricots
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding, Sliced Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Salsa Rice, Sliced Watermelon
• Friday - Feast of The Dormition of the Theotokos
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Pears, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Baked Cod in Cream, Mashed Potatoes, Sliced Watermelon, Applesauce for Jerome
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Çilbir, Tamis, Nectarines, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles (GF for Jerome), Steam Sautéed Carrots and Peas with Garlic and Dill, Limoncello Crème Brûlée

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Family, Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos

During the Dormition fast, I join with others to dedicate our prayers toward the end of abortion - not only in law, but also in practice - that nobody would ever feel the need to resort to this. This week holds the feast of the Transfiguration, also. I love the Transfiguration! We have the Trinity demonstrated in the voice of the Father and the uncreated light of the Spirit which overshadows the mountain, we have the communion of saints demonstrated and modeled (Jesus calls on not only Elijah, who never died, but Moses, in the presence of the Apostles - who know exactly who they are - and shows them that they can be called on in this world) to us, and we have a Theophany, a demonstration of the divinity of Christ. Saint Peter's statement about building tablernacles is not only an impetuous statement of someone not knowing what to say. It shows that Saint Peter connects what he witnesses with the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the feast of the coming Kingdom. He sees this as a sign of the Kingdom appearing on earth. On this feast, the Jewish people build booths to serve as symbols of God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom. Moses represents the law and all who have died, and Elijah, the prophets and all who are alive in Christ, as Elijah never experienced death. Both of these men are immediately recognizeable by Saints Peter, James and John. They know them, because the saints are available to us on earth. They can hear Jesus talking to them, and Jesus gives them an example of communicating with the saints. This is one of the major feasts of the Church year, and it is a poverty to neglect or ignore it.

We are swimming in fresh produce, tons of fruit and vegetables, and it is a blessing. Loads of preservation going on here, and loads of delicious food. We are blessed to live in a growing area. There will be more canning and drying and freezing through October. God is truly caring for us, and we are trying to steward that gift.

Again, don't be surprised by the eggs and dairy in our menus this week. We do take the Dormition fast a little bit more lightly, as we are growing into it. We also may break it on Sundays, as we serve a parish that doesn't necessarily keep the fast. We are blessed with a fish day this week, and I am happy for that. We rejoice in our fast and are so grateful for the wonderful things we can have and the focus it gives us for prayer and for study. It is not too late to start the fast, and it is never something you need to do all the way if you are unable. Start to climb the mountain; God will meet you there. The fast is a gift He gives us, not something we give Him.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Macaroni and Cheese (plus a Gluten Free option), Parishioners bring Sides/Salads/Desserts
• Monday - Feast of Saint Dominic
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Avocado, Tomato and Jalapeño, Toast, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Araka (Greek Pea and Potato Stew), Rice, Red Pears
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Tunisian Shakshouka (using sweet potatoes), Peaches, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Balela, Tamis, Yellow Plums
• Wednesday - Feast of The Transfiguration of Our Lord
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins, Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Grilled Salmon with Creamy Feta Sauce, Garlic Pasta, Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Peaches
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Diced Apples and Cranberries, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Galayet Banadora, Rice, Chopped Salad, Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Tomato Toast, Pears, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Mejeddarah, Crisp Onions, Sliced Tomatoes, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Creamed Eggs, Toast, Plums, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Black Bean and Corn Salad with Avocado, Corn Chips, Fruit Plate

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Family, Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen