Next Saturday, August 15th, the Universal Church observes the Solemnity of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother, Mary, into heaven. According to Pope Pius XII in proclaiming this dogma, “…what is consummated in this feast is not simply the total absence of corruption from the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary but also her triumph over death and her glorification in heaven after the pattern set by her only Son, Jesus Christ.” (from the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus by Pope Pius XII.)
Because this special Holy Day falls on Saturday this year, it is not being observed as a Holy Day of Obligation. The Church does not insist that we observe this occasion by coming to Mass.
Mary’s Assumption into heaven invites us to grow in an awareness of that for which we have been redeemed and thus to increase our yearning for the goal of living here. Having that to which to look forward supports and strengthens us to face that which is before us in this life with confidence and trust.
Unless we are on guard, any of us can be captivated and dominated by the fear of the unknown. None of us knows what’s ahead for us. What a blessing it is that we cannot see the future. We might shrink in horror if we could now get a glimpse of our situation next month, next year, five or ten years from now. A message of hope that Mary’s Assumption into heaven invites us to grow into is the assurance that in all things, the Lord works for good for those who love Him. In the spirit of prayer, we are set free to face each day in an upbeat manner.
On the occasion of Mary’s Assumption, we are invited to reflect upon the personal and the communal nature of the redemption that we gather to celebrate. We are saved or redeemed as individuals. How we each need this assurance in an increasingly impersonal world! A powerful and practical way of making Christ’s saving action our own is by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a regular frequent basis. In this Sacrament, Christ’s redeeming work is tailor-made to our particular spiritual journey.
At the same time, that for which we hope is communal. Mary’s Assumption foreshadows the resurrection of the whole Church in Christ. In the Book of Revelation, heaven is described as a city, the new and eternal Jerusalem. In the spirit of our Blessed Mother, we experience a foretaste of that for which we yearn as we help one another to find the Lord’s place for ourselves in this world. As communal, relational creatures, we can only be fully happy and at peace as we do our part to enable as many persons as is possible to find the Lord’s rightful place for themselves.
I pray that the Event of Mary’s Assumption into heaven will prove to be an occasion of affirmation and hope for ourselves. In this way, we will be able to come across to others in a manner that would awaken in some cases and keep alive in many the hope of experiencing with us that fullness of life for which Christ has redeemed us.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Nelson Beaver – Pastor