Good morning good people,
May the Lord give you peace, health, and happiness in the Holy Spirit.
It is 15th August 2024.
We celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We reflect on Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6,10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26; And LUKE 1:39-56.
Are we lifting or shifting our gaze on God?
The Opening Antiphon of the Vigil Mass of the Assumption proclaims, “Today you were raised above the choirs of angels to lasting glory with Christ.”
Wishing you all a happy feast and independence celebration across India and South Korea.
St. John Paul II taught us: “We look to her as a sign of sure hope. Indeed, in Mary, God’s promise to the humble and righteous is fulfilled: evil and death will not have the last word.”
The symbolism of the vision of the Woman giving birth and of the big red dragon about to swallow the baby brings out the struggles between the Church and the Roman empire forcing people to worship the Emperor as God.
The reading offers hope for all those who are going through such terror and trauma even amidst martyrdom.
The woman in the reading represents the people of God that is Israel as dragon symbolising the Roman empire.
Again, the Woman denotes the earthly mother of the Redeemer, the Mother of the Church and Jesus will triumph over all powers of evil. Mary, through Her unwavering faith in God is the sign in the Heaven for having triumph over evil. No evil can hold Mary and Her children. “Blessed is she who believed in the fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord” (Lk 1,45).
St. Pauls teaches us that Christ is the first-born from the death. In Him everything is brought to live and in order.
Mary is raised by Her Son just because She is part of the mystical Body the Church. Mary goes ahead of us all and remains a model leads us to resurrection.
The celebration of Assumption assures us all the saving, healing, and triumph over all form of evil. St Germanus, Bishop of Constantinople in the eighth century, in a homily given on the Feast of the Assumption presents Mary, “You are the One who through your immaculate flesh reunited the Christian people with Christ…. Just as all who thirst hasten to the fountain, so every soul hastens to you, the Fountain of love, and as every man aspires to live, to see the light that never fades, so every Christian longs to enter the light of the Most Blessed Trinity where you already are”.
“The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son’s Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body” (CCC, 974).
In the Gospel, we sing along with Mary the canticle of thanksgiving for the choice and gifts Mary received.
Gratitude is enhanced by humble service.
Mary even though expecting the Baby ready to be at the service to Her elderly relative.
God’s care for the humble, the poor and the broken are immeasurable as we see in Mary.
May the Lord bless each one of us to live our faith like Mary to be near God one day.
“Gate of Heaven”, “Queen of Angels” and “Refuge of sinners,” Mary our Mother pray for us all.
God bless you.