Mary WAS a Little Lamb — Dormition of the Theotokos

August 15, 2026 during Divine Liturgy

On the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Fr. Matthew Howell couples a children’s nursery rhyme to a quote from St. Anthony of Optina to describe the disposition of Mary, the Theotokos. He points out that she had not only had a lamb, but had the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world who was slain before the foundation of the world. He then uses the description of lambs by St. Anthony in the quote to discuss Mary’s disposition: quiet, peaceful, and obedient. He points out that we can all strive to be more like a lamb and less like a goat. Along the way, Fr. Matthew reassures everyone that it is OK to love people who love goats.

  • “May God grant that the child will have the character of a little lamb, and not that of a little goat! Lambs are peaceful, quiet, and obedient, while little goats are frisky, jumpy, loud, prone to butting, and for this reason they are pleasing to no one.” –St. Anthony, p. 28, Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina. Translated by Archimandrite George Schaefer (Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Publications, 2005).

Previous Homilies for the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos:

 

Philippians 2:5-11

Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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!”