Feast of Dormition Gospel Reading

Today's Gospel reading is repeated at the feasts of the Theotokos, so very soon it becomes familiar.  Eventually newcomers to the Faith will learn of 2 misunderstandings commonly made by Protestants:

Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28

Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked. But He said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 

1. ...which shall not be taken away from her...

     Protestants generally misinterpret this to mean that Christ is refusing Martha's request, that He will not make Mary get up.  

     But, the part that is "not taken away" refers not to Mary's resting, but to things eternal, treasures in heaven.  All things of earth will pass away.  Mary is caring for her soul, and the effect/resultsof this labor does not get taken away by thieves, rust, or rotting. 

     Think of a man working in a field before dusk.  He has 20 minutes left to spend before the sun goes down.  How does he spend that 20 minutes?  Does he use that time to plant another row of corn seed (a treasure on earth), or does he use that 20 minutes to stop work and sing psalms of praise to God?  If he chooses to sing psalms, then he is giving back to God 20 minutes of the time that he has only because God gave it to him in the first place -- and this singing creates for him a treasure in heaven.  A small treasure to be sure, but even the wing of a fly has great weight on God's scales.  This is a treasure that can be for now be stored away and forgotten, it will never fade away, not even a zillion trillion years from now into eternity.

2. ...Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God...

     Protestants generally misinterpret this to mean that Mary is no better than they (are), maybe even inferior to them, that she is to be brushed aside, discounted -- because they who are listening to Him now are the ones who are truly blessed.  

     But what Christ is saying here is that His mother is blessed because she heard the Word and keeps it.   And anyone else can be like her, anyone who hears the Word and keeps it will be blessed. 

     Christ points to His Mother as the PERFECT and SUPREME example of how to hear the word and keep it.  Christ gives His Mother to all generations for the purpose of helping others do as she did/does.  His Mother is our Church which He established for us before He went back to the Father.