Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Congratulations with the feast of the Dormition of the Most-Holy Theotokos!

Today at the Divine Liturgy we heard the very famous and familiar Gospel reading about how Christ visited the home of His friends Martha and Mary. Martha was busy with the household; she was cooking in the kitchen and serving the guests, especially Jesus. In such a way she was showing her love and devotion towards Him. Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus’ feet and absorbed His words and His teaching. Both sisters show us a good example, although, as our Saviour notes, it is Mary, who set all worldly cares aside, who acts in a better way. This Mary is an image of the Most-Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, who, like no one else, put aside all finite things and concentrated all her attention on the spiritual.

At the end of today’s reading two verses are added from another place in the Gospel. Here a certain woman glorifies or blesses the Mother of God and Christ answers with these words: "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it." These words could also be translated in the following manner: "Yes indeed! But more than that…" Therefore with these words Christ confirms that His Most-Pure Mother is in fact blessed. We can add that she is blessed because she gave birth to our Saviour and because she kept the word of God her whole life.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, each Christian must decide who he or she is going to be – Martha or Mary. The monastics choose for themselves the example of Mary and strive to emulate the Mother of God in everything. We, who have decided to remain in the world, take for ourselves the example of Martha. We serve our neighbours – our wives, husbands, children, brothers and sisters in Christ, the other parishioners of our parish family – and in such a way we show our love for Christ.

Today, on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, let’s remember with what love and with what reverence and fear the Holy Apostles served the Most-Holy Mary, when they were gathered together in miraculous fashion in Jerusalem before her death. Through the prayers of the Most-Holy Virgin, let us serve our neighbours in like fashion.

priest Alexis