Gospel Reflection for Sunday August 15th : The Feast of the Assumption of Mary By Br Michael Moore
The Assumption of Mary
Today in union with the Church, we are honouring Mary as we celebrate her Assumption into heaven. Along her Annunciation, the Visitation, The Presentation, the Finding in temple, to her vigil at the cross and finally while she was with the others at Pentecost, this is the culmination of her faithful journey with Jesus. There is no actual gospel describing Mary’s Assumption. The gospel we read today is The Visitation. This takes place after Mary is told that she is to be the mother of Jesus. We are told that she set out as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.’ Having heard the word of God and being filled with the Holy Spirit, Mary went as fast as she could to share this good news with Elizabeth. She was the first to bear the word of God and the first to share the word of God. She is the first to hear the word of God in a uniquely profound and personal way and she is the first to share this good news with Elizabeth. She did not keep this wonderful experience to herself. Mary is truly a missionary disciple. As our current Oblate Rule reminds us, Mary Immaculate is patroness of our congregation; she received Christ in order to share him with the world, whose hope he is. In her, we recognise the model of the Church’s faith and our own. Wherever our ministry takes us, we make every effort to instill genuine devotion her. (C10)
The teaching of the Assumption only became official in 1950, but it had been taught and believed in the Church for centuries as a truth that came from the genuine faith of the people. Christians could not believe Mary’s body suffered any decay after being separated from her soul at death. They could not imagine or believe she underwent any change after the sacred and unique role she has in our history. The Assumption of Mary also asks to believe what God will do for us. We believe that our whole person, body and soul will also be assumed into the very presence of God. However, Mary’s assumption is not limited to or just about offering us a message of hope about the afterlife. Mary is presented to us a strong, courageous and faithful woman whose life and example we are called to follow in our daily lives.
Perhaps in the past we have been guilty of praying to Mary. We are not asked to worship Mary from afar as if she is totally different from us. She does have a special and unique place within our faith and tradition, but she more like us than we have previously thought. We are called to follow her radical and faithful example. Like her, we are also called by our name by God so that we too can make Jesus present in the world today. Following her example, we too are called to ‘yes’ to God in our own daily lives.
Mary’s greatness is that she points and leads us to Jesus, not to herself. She is not concerned with drawing attention to herself. As soon she was called to be the mother of Jesus, she went as a fast as she could to Elizabeth. While she was at the wedding in Cana and saw that the wine was about to run out, she was concerned about the young couple. Having spoken to Jesus, Mary quietly went to the waiters and simply but firmly said to them, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ This tells us something of her own self-confidence and of her faith in Jesus. She remained at the cross with the other woman and was with the followers and friends of Jesus at Pentecost. She was present when the missionary church was born. She said ‘yes’ every day of her life, not just once.
Br Michael Moore OMI
Today, of all days, may we look to Mary and listen to her words, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’
-Br Michael Moore OMI
| Gospel Sunday August 15th | Luke 1:39-56 © |
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