A priest friend of mine, now deceased, once remarked in a homily for this solemn feast that "The dogma of the Assumption was defined in 1950 at the beginning of a decade that saw the intensifying of the Cold War and the spread of nuclear threat, a time when many questioned how much of a future our world had." Thinking back to that period, there was a new prosperity emerging in America, yet military involvement continued in Europe and there was the Korean War. During that time and now, the dogma of "Mary's Assumption has a message of serenity in facing the future." *
A follower of Christ will learn from the fulfillment of Mary's faith through the Assumption, that the words of scripture spoken by Elizabeth are true: "Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled." A follower of Christ will learn to receive God's Word, its message, the Spirit's gifts, and in the fashion given to the baptized, the Body of Christ.
On earth, Mary manifested trust. It was irrepressible. The Magnificat sings of God's mercy, blessing and justice. Her patient endurance through the passion and death of Jesus gives witness to a love that would not fail.
And God did not fail her. The first act of new creation has begun for the woman who was the instrument of the Word of Life coming to dwell among us.
Do you find any evidence of wistful thinking on the part of Mary? I do not. Keep Mary in mind as you experience anxiety about the future. As much as we would like to control the future we cannot. We can, nevertheless, adopt the spirit of the chosen one and have confidence and joy based on the promises of faith and the evidence of God with us.
- Rev. Stephen H. Gratto
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56
A follower of Christ will learn from the fulfillment of Mary's faith through the Assumption, that the words of scripture spoken by Elizabeth are true: "Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled." A follower of Christ will learn to receive God's Word, its message, the Spirit's gifts, and in the fashion given to the baptized, the Body of Christ.
On earth, Mary manifested trust. It was irrepressible. The Magnificat sings of God's mercy, blessing and justice. Her patient endurance through the passion and death of Jesus gives witness to a love that would not fail.
And God did not fail her. The first act of new creation has begun for the woman who was the instrument of the Word of Life coming to dwell among us.
Do you find any evidence of wistful thinking on the part of Mary? I do not. Keep Mary in mind as you experience anxiety about the future. As much as we would like to control the future we cannot. We can, nevertheless, adopt the spirit of the chosen one and have confidence and joy based on the promises of faith and the evidence of God with us.
- Rev. Stephen H. Gratto
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56