28 The Priest July 2014

By contemplating Mary in heavenly glory, we under-

stand that the earth is not the denitive homeland for us
either, and that if we live with our gaze xed on eternal
goods we will one day share in this same glory and the earth
will become more beautiful. Consequently we must not lose
our serenity and peace even amid the thousands of daily
difculties. The luminous sign of Our Lady taken up into
Heaven shines out even more brightly when sad shadows of
suffering and violence seem to loom on the horizon.
Pope Benedict XVI, Aug. 16, 2006
A
s startling as this may sound, this day is not about
Mary. The assumption of Mary
was, as tradition teaches, so
humble that even she would reject
the notion that this day is about her.
Instead, as did her life, this day points
not to her but to God and to hope.
The Church sees in Mary a symbol to
see beyond her to the God whom she
served so well. Marys words recorded
by Luke give focus to the day: My
soul proclaims the greatness of God.
This Solemnity certainly honors
Mary and her role in our salvation,
but it is also about a promise God
made to us through His Son: we shall
rise on the last day. The Assumption
reminds us of the greatest gift God has
given us: a chance to live with Him.
The image of Mary already as-
sumed into heaven also calls to us to
think of the Church in its own perfec-
tion. The Second Vatican Councils
Constitution on the Church teaches us that the Mother of
Jesus in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in
heaven is the image and the beginning of the Church as it
is to be perfected in the world to come (No. 68).
Pope Francis, in his homily last year on the Assump-
tion, pointed out that the readings lead us to focus on
three words: struggle, resurrection and hope.
The Book of Revelation speaks to us of the struggle
between the woman and the dragon. Through its images,
Revelation warns that the ordinary world is a threat to
believers, and that they must stay faithful to Gods call
while theyre still in the world. The dragon, a symbol
of the world, is shown as a threat to the Church the
woman. Then as now, our passage speaks to a people in a
world that is unfriendly to believers. Today there are efforts
to silence our Church, just as people were in the day when
Revelation was written.
The vision tells of the woman, the Church, eeing the
dragon and hiding in the desert. We are the people in the
desert now, but we are protected because God has prepared
this place for us, wherein we wait for the coming of Jesus.
We should not fear as we live in the desert and ght
against the dragon. The Magnicat tells us not to worry.
Luke had Mary rst speak: My soul proclaims the great-
ness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
But then he had Mary speak not just herself but for all of
Israel, for us: . . . for he has looked upon his lowly servant
(Israel) . . . He has shown the strength
of his arm.
Paul speaks of the Resurrection
when he reminds us of the promise
God has made. He tells us that Christ,
the embodiment of Gods promise,
is the rst fruits of those who have
fallen asleep. Clearly Paul is telling us
that Christ is only the rst to rise to
the Father. We are to follow. Marys
assumption reminds us that we can,
with grace, follow Christ to the Father.
How did Mary do this? She lived
the passion of Christ. Pope Francis said
that she suffered a martyrdom of her
heart, of her soul. She lived her Sons
Passion to the depths of her soul . . .
fully united to Him in His death. Thus
she became also united with Him in
His resurrection.
There is struggle in every life, and
many of us go through our own pas-
sion, but there is always the Resurrection. If we unite our
struggles with the passion of Christ, we too can share fully
in the Resurrection as has Mary.
The Gospel today is about hope. Pope Francis said,
Hope is the virtue of those who, experiencing conict
the struggle between life and death, good and evil believe
in the resurrection of Christ, in the victory of love. Marys
song, the Magnicat, is a song of hope. It is the song of
those who have faced the struggle of life while carrying in
their hearts the hope of the little and the humble.
Today the Church uses Mary as God used her, to point
us toward Christ. There is struggle, but in our struggle is the
cross, and with the cross there is resurrection. The reward to
Mary for her faithfulness is a promise to all of us: a chance
to live with God. TP
SYNOPSIS

Marys assumption is not

about her. Instead, as did her
life, this day points to God
and to hope.

Marys assumption reminds

us that we can, with grace,
follow Christ to the Father.

How did Mary do this? She

lived the passion of Christ. If
we unite our struggles with
the passion of Christ, we too
can share fully in the
Resurrection as has Mary.

August 15, 2014

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Beyond Mary
Rv 11:19a;12:1-6a,10ab 1 Cor 15:20-27 Lk 1:39-56