ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: GOD’S FIDELITY AND TENDERNESS
On the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we celebrate God’s fidelity and tenderness for her and for us.
In his tenderness, after he gave us his Son, he “assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of his Son, body and soul into heavenly glory (Collect)” because “he would not allow her to see the corruption of the tomb (Preface).” This is God’s tenderness for the mother of his son, Jesus! This is Jesus’ gentleness and tenderness for his mother. He wanted her to be with him!
The first two readings of the Mass of the Assumption (Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab and 1 Corinthians 15:20-27) solemnly affirm it to us vigorously: God conquered evil and Jesus Christ destroyed his last enemy, death! The Assumption of the Virgin Mary is “a sign of sure hope and comfort to us, his pilgrim people (Preface).”
How then do we live as sons and daughters of the Assumption? Let us turn to the Gospel of today (Luke 1:39-56).
Mary went to a hill country in haste, to a town of Judah, to be with her old cousin Elizabeth who was pregnant, to assist her. And what is so marvelous is that these two women were both inspired to recognize God’s intervention and action in their lives:
“Blessed are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled!”
To be a son and a daughter of the Assumption is to go out from our comfort zone to meet people, to serve them, to care for them, and to discover with them how God is near and close; to discover the dignity of each of them, because each of us is loved by God and God has a plan for each of us.
To be a son and a daughter of the Assumption is to discover and to praise the Lord for all he has done for us and for humanity. It is to re-read our life in the light of the Holy Spirit; to remember God’s promises, God’s vision, and to discover his tenderness and care for each of us.
On this feast of the Assumption, let us sing Mary’s Magnificat, her hymn of thanksgiving and praise, and also her creed:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Fr. Bernard Holzer is a French Augustinian of the Assumption (Assumptionist), working in the Philippines for the past 17 years. He is the Formator of the Assumptionist Vicariate of Asia-Oceania. He is the General Manager of Living with Christ in the Philippines.
