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ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY A woman clothed in the sun, with a moon at her feet, with stars as her crown and a red dragon waiting to devour her child when it is born. When we listen to these words from the Book of Revelation it is so easy to be caught up in fantastic images and dreamlike sequences. It seems to be pictures taken from the Lord of the Rings. Scholars tell us that the
writer used a lot of Greek mythology - more precisely the story of the birth of the of Apollo to describe this scene. In Jewish theology: the child represents the long awaited Messiah. But who was the woman? She could have represented the Old Israel awaiting the Messiah. Or perhaps the new Israel, the Church awaiting the second coming of Christ. Today popular devotion equates the woman with the Blessed Virgin Mary. However at the time of the Book of Revelation, the writer most likely did not have Mary of Nazareth in mind. But what has this to do with the feast we celebrate, Mary was assumed into heaven? On 1st November 1950, Pope Pius XII affirmed what Christians had in popular devotion accepted for centuries. He proclaimed that Mary was assumed into Heaven body and soul after the course of her earthly life was completed. now we read in Scriptures that Elijah was taken into heaven in a fiery chariot. we know Jesus ascended to heaven in the sight of his disciples. But we have no Scriptures to tell us directly where or when or how Mary was taken up into heaven. And hence I will not speculate on the how and when and where because I just do not know. What I do know is that it makes sense that Mary would be taken up into heaven and this is bolstered up by the popular belief of Christians through the centuries. Our second Reading tells us that Kingdom of God had begun on Earth. Jesus was the first fruits of that Kingdom. Until the coming of Jesus we were related to Adam and like Adam we were destined to death. But now that we were alive in Christ, even when our mortal existence comes to an end, we are assured of life Eternal in heaven in Jesus. This is the promised made to us by God and God is faithful to his commands. It was therefore most appropriate that the Blessed Virgin Mary who heard the Word of God and kept it who was faithful not only in Great things, but also in little things who like the seed that fell in the ground and bore 100 fold who like the Wise bridesmaids had oil in her lamp, which was lit. who like the faithful servant was ready for the Master at whatever hour he would come. It was but right and just that Mary should hear long before the Final Judgment, the words: “Well done good and faithful servant enter the Kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of time.” How did Mary do all this? She did it not by spending long hours in the Temple. She was not like Hannah the mother of Samuel who spent day and night in the Temple. Hannah has a beautiful praise of God when she knew she was going to bear a son. The praise was very similar to the words of the Magnificat which Luke puts on Mary’s lips. Mary accomplished these marvellous things because she was open to God’s word, and God’s amazing grace working within her. Mary prayed and her life flowed from her prayer. Mary trusted in God and her Yes to God was made regardless of the sword which would pierce her heart. Mary had times of joy, times of sorrow, times of mystery and she treasured all these things in her heart. And hence it was no surprise as we hear in the Magnificat, The Almighty did great things for her |
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