Feast of the Assumption / Sunday August 16th 2020: Read Br Michael’s Gospel Reflection The 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time – feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Gospel Reflection for 15th and 16th August
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Yesterday in Ireland the Feast of Mary’s Assumption was celebrated. However, it is being celebrated in Wales, Scotland and England today! So to honour both, I offer what hopefully is a prayerful reflection on the meaning and relevance of this wonderful Marian feast. Among the accounts of Mary’s life that we find in the gospels, the Assumption is not one of them. In fact the official teaching of the Assumption was not announced until 1st November 1950.
Without being unfair or over critical of past generations, there is the sense that we put Mary on a pedestal. We made her super human and even untouchable. Catholics have been accused of giving her more honour than Jesus and praying to her rather than with or though her. Mary does have a very special and unique place within Catholic devotion and tradition. But rather than being a woman whose life and example we cannot live up to, I believe the very opposite is true.
Mary is called personally by her name to be the mother of Jesus. After some very natural doubt, with God’s encouragement, she says ‘yes’. She said yes in faith, not knowing what lay ahead of her. Her ‘yes’ was not gentle or submissive, it was courageous and radical. As the gospel for the feast tells us, when Mary visited Elizabeth, she went to tell her cousin all that happened to her. Mary was the first to bear the Good News and the first to share the Good News. From the very beginning of her journey, Mary is a missionary disciple. She followed Jesus when others walked away. At the wedding at Cana, she led and pointed others to Jesus, not to herself. With the other women, she stood at cross and watched Jesus die. Even though she was the Mother of Jesus, she was not spared suffering or pain. We are told that she was with the followers of Jesus at Pentecost. She was present when the missionary church sprang into life. Mary is the prime example of what it is to be a dedicated, committed and radical disciple of Jesus. This is her greatness, important and relevance for us today. She is the woman whose life, faith and discipleship that we are called to follow today.
Through the life and example of Mary, we are given a model of how to follow Jesus. We are also offered a role model of what God would like to do in and through the life of every believer. As Mary was called by her name, so too are you and I. As she became a missionary disciple and shared her Good News, you are I are called to and be the same. Just as she remained faithful to Jesus when others didn’t, so too are we. As Mary pointed to and led people to Jesus, we are called to do likewise. Like Mary, we are too are called stand at the cross. We too are called to be filled the Holy Spirit and to become missionary disciples in and for our world today. From the moment of the Annunciation to Pentecost Mary remained faithful to her initial yes and to what God asked of her. This is her greatness. This is the example she offers us.
Like Mary, we are called and invited to bear Christ in the world today through our words, actions and the quality of our daily lives and then live in the hope of eternal life with God, Mary and all the saints.
Loving and life-giving God, with Mary we too praise your name and all that you have done and do for us. Hear our prayers, so that following her faithful example, we may also share Jesus with the world through what we say, do and how we live our daily lives. Amen.
– Br Michael Moore OMI
| Gospel of Sunday August 16th : Matthew 15: 21-28 © |
|---|
Jesus answers the prayer of a persistent woman and praises her faith
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon. ” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us. ” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me. ” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. ” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table. ” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish. ” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Have you signed up for our mailing list?
Each day, we email out a short thought for the day based on a piece of scripture from the day’s mass.
Our community also streams live short morning and night prayer, daily mass and rosary. Sign up to our email list to stay connected.
Each Sunday, we send the Sunday Gospel Reflection straight to your inbox.
Sign up here:
