Categories: thanks-be-to-god, anxiety, hymns, feast-days
Date: 08 September 2010 12:40:37
With today being the Feast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, we heard the Gospel text that is read for the Feasts of the Theotokos, Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28:
At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."
As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
With me being in one of those anxious stages, the words in the title of this blog post stood out for me particularly tonight. As did Father's sermon in which he echoed, "One thing is needful," after his various points. Of course, perhaps easy said that done, but it is good for me to be reminded, and it was emphasised on my drive home as I listened to Fr Thomas Hopko talk on Anxiety and Fear, that God does command us to not be anxious, to not be fearful [of course there are nuances there which I thought Fr Thomas covered very well] , and the promise God gives of caring and providing for us, and moreso the fact He loves us, which are comforting words to ponder as I consider my anxiety and how it plays a destructive part in my life and my health.
[And I'll have to download his latest podcast, The Gate Facing East. which is on today's feast; the Gate facing East being a reference to Ezekiel 44:1-4 which is in the Orthodox Church a symbol of Mary who contained God and remained Virgin.]
In addition, much else to praise God for today. Our submission to use a property we bought as a church for a church [we currently rent a hall] was accepted by the council last night -- thanks be to God. Also, thanks be to God for a good friend who helped me more than they could know today, and thanks be to God to the wonderful person who sent me a lovely book and wonderful postcard. And while it was jarring, thanks be to God for showing me some unhelpful and even unkind behaviour I was unintentionally displaying at work: by His Grace, and your prayers, I pray I can make a change.
A Blessed Feast Day to all, particularly to all those named Mary!
Troparion (Tone 4)
Your birth, O Theotokos, brought joy to the whole world,
for from you dawned the sun of righteousness, Christ our God.
Freeing us from the curse, He gave us His blessings.
Abolishing death, He granted us eternal life.
Kontakion (Tone 4)
In your holy birth, Immaculate One,
Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness;
Adam and Eve of the corruption of death.
And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins,
celebrate crying:
"The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."