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