Gospel & Reflection for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Luke 1:39-56
Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy according to the promise he made to our ancestors-of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
Reflection
Friends, just as with Catholicism, where we respect and have a great fondness for certain Popes over the years, and the things they said and did, so in Judaism, they have a great respect for certain leading Rabbis. One famous Polish Rabbi was Hafez Hayyim. Rabbi Hayyim died in 1933 but is remembered and respected today because of his writings against hate speech and his focus on the spiritual over the worldly.
There is a story told of him when on one occasion an admirer from America visited him but was astonished to see that the Rabbi’s home was only a simple room, cold, filled with books. The only furniture was a table and a bench.
“Rabbi, where is your furniture?” asked the tourist.
“Where is yours?” replied Hayyim.
“Mine? But I’m only a visitor here; I am only passing through.”
“So am I,” said the rabbi.
Friends, today’s Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary reminds us that we are all people on a journey, we are all pilgrims, and ultimately, we too are just passing through. As we journey through life, we are asked to have an intimacy, a relationship with God, one that shines a light on us as His people and how we are called to love and support each other in God’s name.
Often, people think that such an intimacy, such a meaningful relationship is humanly impossible, possible only for Saints or the Mother of God herself. Yet, our story of faith, from the dawn of time is a story of God’s relationship with His people, not His Saints. Mary, when chosen to be the Mother of Christ, committed to this relationship and intimacy with God with nothing more than her humanity, her trust, and her love. That was all she had but that was all she needed!
So too for the many Saints. All they had was their humanity, flawed and fragile as it was for many of them but they also had trust, love and faith; and it was these that ultimately shone through in their relationship with God and it is why we honour them and strive to emulate them.
As for the Saints, as for Our Lady, so also for us. As we journey, as we pass through, we bring to God our humanity with all its goodness, imperfections, and fragility. We combine it with a love and trust in God that reinforces our outlook on life and living, and how we relate to the world and everyone within it.
All that we can then hope for, is having tried our best, having had the best relationship with God that we possibly can, that then too like Mary, when our pilgrimage of life is ended, we shall share in the triumph of her Son, Our Lord, and take our place in eternal life.
Our Lady Queen of Peace. Pray For Us.
Fr. Richard
