Luke 1: 39-56 (Wednesday, August 15, 2007 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

We celebrate today the feast of Mary. Mary is a model of faith. We can only understand this dogma of the assumption in light of Christ and the Church. Mary is the one that was specially prepared to give birth to Christ. She said “yes” to God and took upon herself a difficult challenge of being the mother of the savior. She was faithful even at the Cross. She becomes the first person that Jesus gives the honor of raising her body and soul to heaven. The Christian hope of the resurrection is that we all would be raised body and soul.

Vatican II describes Mary as the symbol of the Church. Her yes at the annunciation made her the first Christian. She gathered with the Apostles in the upper room praying and interceding for the Holy Spirit. Her life was full of grace and because of that, her soul constantly proclaimed the glory of the Lord. It was only right that she who is full of grace is the first to experience the resurrection of the body and soul.

Today’s feast reminds us all of our destiny. We are made for heaven. Again and again the scriptures tells us about the resurrection of the body and soul. The most faithful one, Mary, has shown us the way, we her children must follow. We can only follow by emulating her virtues of faith and humility. As we celebrate her feast today, let us contribute our pains, sufferings and inconveniences to the capital of graces and in return ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for us that we might be faithful and humble.

Prayer:
Blessed Mother, we acknowledge you today as the one full of grace. We know you are proclaiming the glory of the Lord in heaven. We ask you to intercede for us that we might be faithful and humble. We pray that through you constant intercession for us, we will one day re-unite with you and your son, together with all the angels and saints in our eternal home in heaven.