The Dormition of the Theotokos

According to Orthodox Tradition, Mary died like all humanity, “falling asleep,” so to speak, as the name of the feast indicates. She died as all people die, not “voluntarily” as her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is indivisibly bound up with the corruption of this world. The feast was added to the Roman calendar in the seventh century as the Dormitio. In the eighth century, the title was changed to the Assumptio (Assumption).

The Apostles were miraculously summoned to this event, and all were present except Thomas when Mary passed from this life. She was then buried.

Thomas arrived a few days later, and desiring to see her one more time, convinced the others to open her tomb. Upon doing so, the Apostles discovered that her body was no longer present. This event is seen as a firstfruits of the resurrection of the faithful that will occur at the Second Coming of Christ.

The event is normally called the Dormition, though there are many Orthodox parishes in English-speaking countries with the name Assumption. In Greek, Dormition is Koimisis—falling asleep in death—from which the word cemetery derives.

Source: Orthodox Wiki.

Vesperal Liturgy of the Dormition this Tuesday at 6:30pm at St. Paul’s

The Vesperal Liturgy of the Dormition will be held Tuesday, August 14 at 6:30pm at St. Paul’s (get directions).

At the Beginning of Every Task….

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:

At the beginning of every task,
call on the name of the Lord your God,
and begin it with prayer that the Lord may prosper you
to begin it and complete it.

And from this it is evident
that a Christian ought not to begin anything
that is contrary to the Law of God,
but only that which is in agreement with it.

Sunday Scripture Readings

Epistle

I Corinthians 4:9-16 (10th Sunday after Pentecost)

Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.

To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands.

When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For, I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Gospel

Matthew 17:14-23 (10th Sunday of Matthew)

At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.”

And Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus said to them, “Because you have no faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith, even as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. This kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.”

As they were travelling together through Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.”