When the Homily is about Immunology

Another Fast...

Nothing terribly coherant to say today...trying to adjust to this Dormition Fast...thinking alot about the Theotokos. Committing to praying more and working more on my story which will have much to say in regards to a major character whose archetype is in many ways our Mother. Perhaps a sort of Dormition discipline? I really want to try and capture the beauty I behold in this person - so important to our salvation.

Karl has a post which has gained a good deal of commenting on the topic of the "Queen Mother" - well worth reading and participating in.

A Roman Catholic friend of mine once told me about an old monk that told him the way to identify Christian "o"rthodoxy was to look at how any given group viewed the Mother of God - in other words a proper understanding of Jesus necessarily elicits a certain understanding of His Mother. I think there is truth in that. I can recall a friend telling me just priuor to my reception into the Church that "Mary isn't all that important...she doesn't save us, Jesus does." My response today would likely be: "Of course she saves us...in fact she saved us in being who she is, which thus allowed her to say Yes and to bear within her womb the Almighty incarnate. Her 'YES' to God saves you as surely as your own 'YES' to God saves you."

God is glorious in His saints. We are not along in the world...salvation isn't a "me and God thing"...it is an "US and God thing." If I hear one more person say "make a personal decision for Christ" I'm gonna puke. (Is there REALLY such thing as a "personal" decision? - a blog on this is forthcoming I think) Why should we wish to play the game alone?

I'm rambling.

One more thing...to my friends at St. Barnabas Parish in Costa Mesa: enjoyed hijacking your Deacon George this week...thanks! He returns with our love and warm wishes.