Why do so many around the globe have such a devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary? What is so special about this woman other than that she had given birth to our Lord Jesus Christ? What does it mean for us that she was assumed into heaven? Is it simply an assumption?
Well where do we begin? In the beginning I suppose, where a little girl was born without original sin! The immaculate conception through the almighty and powerful grace of God. A grace filled girl born after the heart of God our Father who devoted her life to living out her call to holiness. Then when an opportunity came for her to glorify God our Father with all her heart, mind and soul, she said Yes to His Will for her to be the mother of His only begotten Son. She surrendered herself fully to Him and allowed herself to be filled completely with the Holy Spirit. Love of God our Father was born into the world, the light for all nations. Dearest Mother, praised the Lord our God with all her grateful, grace filled heart! She praised and worshipped Him such that to this very day her canticle is sung every evening at vespers. Blessed Mother Mary dedicated her life to bringing Jesus up caring for him with every breath, every fibre of her being. Her firstborn and only son was consecrated to God our Father for His purpose alone. For her extraordinary role the deepest thoughts of many hearts are revealed to her such that a sword would pierce her soul. A reality as she stood at the cross of her beloved son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and an on-going one throughout the ages. Then towards the end of His life we hear our Lord’s deep affectionate love for us in the words, ”mother behold your son, son behold your mother.” The shared maternal love of God through our Blessed Mother outpoured for the whole world!
Today we celebrate the Assumption of our Blessed Mother for we know that Our Blessed Mother through the almighty grace and love of the Lord our God was taken up wholly body and soul into heaven. By His resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ had opened the gates of heaven for his mother and for us all. Amen
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners. Now and at the hour of our death. Amen
First reading
Apocalypse 11:19,12:1-6,10 ·
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman adorned with the sun
The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it.
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was having the child, so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother. The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready.
Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ.’
Second reading
1 Corinthians 15:20-26 ·
Christ will be brought to life as the first-fruits and then those who belong to him
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet.
Gospel
Luke 1:39-56
The Almighty has done great things for me
Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said:
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
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