Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 15, 2010 - The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Revelations 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke 1:39-56]Elizabeth , filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.".......And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord....."
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the major Marian dogmas of our church. It is also one of the least understood - to the extent that any mystery of God's workings can be understood! I think at least one of the reasons for this is that we do not think of Mary as a disciple! We tend to think of her as Jesus' mother first and foremost. Moms tend to get special attention and there can be a kind of discomfort to "subordinate" them to their children! This has led to a great deal of unfortunate Marian piety that goes beyond what the Church actually teaches. For those wondering where to go for this, I suggest Pope Paul VI's wonderful work, MARIALIS CULTUS. In the meantime, I would not have it thought that I am discouraging Marian piety at all. The rosary and any devotion approved by the church are fine with me. I do, however, recommend approaching the feast of the Assumption and all other Marian feast days and devotions from the angle of discipleship. I recommend this because it is how the Gospel of Luke presents her! She is the one who hears the word and keeps it in her heart! When Elizabeth greets her, Mary immediately replies in a way to indicate that whatever is happening to her is about God's workings. It is about how God lifts up the lowly! Ultimately, what Jesus promises to everyone will be modeled in her. Her "assumption" speaks to the resurrection in which, as St. Paul tells us, we shall be "changed" and our mortal bodies will put on immortality. In Catholic faith, this happens immediately for Mary. It is not really about how much "holier" she is than anyone else but about the hope that Christ holds out for us all! In our own personal devotion, we may see her as mother, sister, aunt, patroness, wonder woman - the list is endless. In the larger picture, she is the symbol of discipleship, the Body of Christ. The words spoken to her by the angel are words that all faithful disciples should hear: "Do not be afraid. You have found favor with God." AMEN
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