Today is August 15, 2005.  It is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In the Roman Catholic world, the day is a day of feasting with a solemn mass.  In devoutly Roman Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy, Mexico, etc., it is a public holiday and in Orthodox countries such as Greece, it is the beginning a week-long festival.  In the Anglican world, unfortunately, it goes largely unobserved except in the most High Church parishes.  It is sad that the Reformation still has that much effect on us, that we have forgotten or abandoned devotion and observances that honor the Mother of the Lord just because it was considered passe' at the time.  Shame on us for being so resistant to honor the only person in all of human history to ever accept God's will so freely, so completely, and so enthusiastically.  Oh would that we all could have such faith! Hail Mary full of grace...pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Today my brother, Woody, is spending his first full day in Iraq.  He has been in Kuwait for the last week or so acclimating to the heat, etc.  I know that he has faith in the purpose of his being there, even when I do not.  He has my devoted admiration for doing what he has to do for our country, for enduring the financial hardship that he and his wife, Sandy, are going through (not to mention the mere stress of being separated from one another, and the danger to his own life.  I pray for him and his fellow soldiers as they put their lives on the line for us and for the Iraqi people (whethere they want him there or not).    I just pray that their sacrifice is not in vain.  I have no faith that the President and his cronies have any idea how to make the best of Woody's sacrifice, but I do have faith that somehow God will make the best of it.