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A Message from Father David
The Humility of the Theotokos
One striking feature of Orthodoxy for inquirers and seekers is the honor given to the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary. Especially for those entering Orthodoxy from Protestant backgrounds, this seems particularly foreign. The honor and veneration of the Virgin Mary that had been a regular part of Christian experience since the early church, largely dropped out of Protestant Christianity by the end of the sixteenth century. This certainly remains the case today for the vast majority of Protestants in the West.
As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Dormition this Saturday, the Falling Asleep of the Theotokos, we do well to reflect on why the Theotokos occupies such a significant place in the Orthodox Christian life.
The Most Holy Theotokos reveals the true shape of Christian humility - not weakness or self-contempt, but complete openness to God. At the Annunciation, (the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement that she would bear Christ in her womb), she does not demand complete understanding or control in the face of the mystery that is unfolding within her. She offers herself in complete trust: “Let it be to me according to your word.” Her greatness is hidden in obedience, silence, purity of heart, and faithful endurance. In her, the Church sees the human person fully receptive to grace - empty of pride, yet filled with God. This is why she is the pattern of the Christian life for each one of us. She is the supreme example of what it is to receive Christ, to bear Him within us, and to offer Him to the world through prayer, repentance, mercy, and quiet faithfulness. To honor the Theotokos is therefore to learn from her and to seek her intercession before her Son, that we might grow in humility before God, love without selfishness, and have a heart that says yes to the Lord in all things.
Blessings,
Father David
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