“Just as Christ’s glory was revealed on the Cross and at His Resurrection, so the All-Holy Virgin’s glory is vividly revealed at her Dormition, which is called glorious, but also in the ascension and translation of her body into heaven. 

All of this shows that glory is linked with humility, and honor comes from obedience to God’s will.”(1)

Annunciation of the Dormition The Dormition of the Theotokos

(Today, 3 days prior to her passing)

Reflection:

The Dormition of the Theotokos is known as the ‘Summer Pascha’(2). Christ’s Resurrection is glorious in itself, since it is His saving action for all creation. The Dormition of the Theotokos is glorious, because Christ glorified His mother, raised her up, united her soul and body and took her up into heaven with Him. This event shows us what will happen at Christ’s Second and Glorious Coming with the Resurrection of all. Christ glorified her because of her role in His saving Incarnation.  She was chosen due to her pure way of living, her humility, and she freely chose God’s will each and every day. We glorify her because Christ our God glorifies her.

The humility of the Theotokos is vast.  She is rarely mentioned in the Gospels, and did not seek recognition as Christ’s mother, nor a special position in the Church after Christ’s Ascension(3). Instead of seeking praise from other people, she kept herself empty of pride and sought only to love Christ our God, and her neighbor (all of humanity).  Do we seek praise, glory, or honor from others or even from God Himself? Should we?

The Theotokos shows us through her example that we are not to seek glory or honor from either neighbor nor from God Himself. Rather, as Christ tells us, “seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His Righteousness...”(4)  

We are called to seek Christ, to love Christ, which moves us to love our neighbor, and vice versa.  As we grow closer to God and neighbor, we are moved to humility as we freely choose to align our lives in God’s will.  Day by day we begin to follow the example of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, not seeking recognition for ourselves but wishing to love Christ and share His love with everyone we know.  

Human glory or praise is temporary, leaving us unfulfilled and constantly searching for more.  To be glorified and honored by God is to be rewarded by being eternally united with Him in His Kingdom.  Let us follow the example of Panaghia to refocus and enter deeper into our eternal relationship with God and neighbor.

Resources:

1) Met Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, The Feasts of the Mother of God, pg 405. 2) The Dormition of the Theotokos which we celebrate this Saturday, August 15th, is the Summer Pascha.  The Theotokos is human like the rest of us, so she passed away naturally as we all will.  Since St Thomas the Apostle was not around when she passed and was buried, he asked that the tomb be opened so that he might pay his final respects.  When they opened the tomb when St Thomas arrived three days later, it was empty.   Our Church teaches that she was the first of humanity to have Resurrected in Christ.  The rest of the saints are with God in their soul, but she is the only one who’s body and soul have been reunited, resurrected and ascended into heaven.   This event shows us what will happen at Christ’s Second and Glorious Coming at the end of time. 

3) Met Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, The Feasts of the Mother of God, pg 404.

4) Matthew 6:33