Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

08-15-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Arul Doss

Dear Friends,

You are cordially invited to St. Boniface, Waumandee for our Fall Festival. It is going to be on this Sunday. Lots fun activities are available for you.

Today we celebrate the Assumption of Mary. This Solemnity celebrates the end of Mary’s earthly life — the moment she was taken up, body and soul, into heaven. This day points to the resurrection of Christ and reminds us of the hope in our resurrection one day. Yet it also reveals much about our Holy Mother. Next to her Divine Son, Mary truly is the model steward for us as we journey through this life.

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” The pope proclaimed this dogma only after a broad consultation of bishops, theologians, and laity.

The first gift she lavishes on us is the Word, that She knew how to keep so faithfully in her heart, by making it bear fruit from the very profound and warm silence. With this Word in her interior space, while begetting in her womb the Life for all men, “Mary set out for a town in the Hills of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Lk 1:39-40). Mary’s presence exults in joy, and Elizabeth says: «The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy» (Lk 1:44).

She, mostly, presents us with the gift of her commendation, her same joy made music, her Magnificat: «My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my savior! » (Lk 1:46-47). What a beautiful gift the heaven sends back to us with Mary’s song, made word of God. In this song we find the signs to learn how the human and the divine, the earthly and the celestial blend together, while being able to react, as She does, to the gift God presents us with, in the person of his Son, through his Saint Mother: to become a gift from God to the world, and tomorrow, a gift from mankind to God, by following Mary’s example, who precedes us in this glorification which we are bound to.

Since Mary is closely associated with all the mysteries of Jesus’ life, it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to believe in Mary’s share in his glorification. So close was she to Jesus on earth, she must be with him body and soul in heaven.

In the light of the Assumption of Mary, it is easy to pray her Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) with new meaning. In her glory she proclaims the greatness of the Lord and finds joy in God her savior. God has done marvels to her and she leads others to recognize God’s holiness. She is the lowly handmaid who deeply reverenced her God and has been raised to the heights. From her position of strength, she will help the lowly and the poor find justice on earth, and she will challenge the rich and powerful to distrust wealth and power as a source of happiness.

Happy feast of Assumption dear friends!

Yours in Christ Jesus
Fr. Doss

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