Dormition

Good fast! We've printed out our coloring calendar to help the kids count ahead to the feast with flowers. They're also promised big, fancy dishes of ice cream on the feast since we are skipping it now. We're hoping to get one last bunch of flowers from around the yard for the feast.

I'm re-listening to Fr. Hopko's podcast on the feast of Dormition:

"Now, when people say we are saved by faith through grace, there’s no greater example of that than Mary. Mary is nothing but faith and nothing but grace. When the angel comes to her, he calls her Kecharitomene, highly graced or as they say in Latin Gratia Plena, full of grace. She’s nothing but grace. 

But she’s also faith, and nothing but faith. Elizabeth says about Mary, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of that which was spoken to her by the Lord.” And then Mary says to the angel, “Let it be to me, according to your word.” So she’s a perfect disciple and absolutely obedient and absolutely faithful and totally full of grace. She’s nothing but obedience, grace, faith and love."