Dormition of the Holy Theotokos

The feast of the Dormition (or Falling-asleep) of the Theotokos is celebrated on the 15th of August, preceded by a two-week fast. This feast, which is also sometimes called the Assumption, commemorates the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ’s mother. It proclaims that Mary has been “assumed” by God into the heavenly kingdom of Christ in the fullness of her spiritual and bodily existence.

To your younger child:
On this day, we remember a girl named Mary, who when faced with the unbelievable news that she would have a son, set a pure example for us of what it means to follow Christ.  It’s not about understanding what God asks us to do.  It’s not about agreeing with it, wanting to do it, or even seeing how we’re physically capable of accomplishing it.  It’s just listening to God.  Listening and doing what He asks.  God asks us things every day.  Sometimes they’re big and dramatic.  Sometimes they’re small and seemingly menial.  But they’re all there for a reason, if we’ll see it.  Each day and each time that we say “yes” to God, we see Him just a little more clearly.
As the snow softly falls on this Feast Day, I pray that the Mother of God, full of grace, will continue to show me how to listen and how to say “yes”.  Every day.  Every moment.

To show honor and love to the most Holy Theotokos, try to do some type of flower-related craft with your child(ren) on her feast day.  Who doesn’t enjoy giving flowers to their mother?  It just always seems like the perfect way to show love to the Mother of God on her Feast Day.