Saturday, August 15, 2020 - Assumption - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 1, 39-56 - Today the door of paradise has been opened: Mary has entered the glory of God; exult in heaven, all the angels!
August 15 is a special day in the Church, because we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Historically, it was in 1594 that Gregory of Tours brought to light the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lifted up body and soul to heaven, but much later in November 1950, the Pope, Pius XII, declared that the Assumption is a consecrated day in the Church, and a dogma according to which "the Immaculate Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was lifted up body and soul to heavenly glory".
Dear Christians, what are the principles of the Catholic Church's veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary? They are: First, she is the Mother of God, because God chose her to be the mother of his Son. God chose a woman, Mary, worthy to bear his Son. Secondly, she is our mother, because Jesus Christ himself presented her, through St. John at the foot of the cross: "Behold your mother" (Jn 19:21b). Thirdly, she was both virgin and mother, that is, she did not have sexual relations with her husband, but a chaste woman, but allowing salvation to be accomplished through the cooperation of God and the Holy Spirit.
Moreover, the reason why the Church exhorts us to venerate and above all to love the Blessed Virgin Mary is her particular virtues revealed in today's Gospel. First of all, her generosity in sharing joy and grace, as stated in the Song of Mary: "My soul exalts the Lord, exults my spirit in God." This seems to recall the words of St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus: "Grace grows only if it is shared." Then, Mary's humility, as we heard at the end of the Gospel, that "Mary set out and went with readiness. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months". Her humility was due to her willingness to be attentive to others, that is, to her sister. To this day, she still accepts to take care of each one of us, bringing our desires to Her Son Jesus. All the problems faced with the Blessed Virgin Mary are all resolved. And she herself said, "Do not fight alone, lest you be defeated." And finally, because she said "Yes," she accepted God's will to the end. She accepted and remained faithful, a woman who kept her word and allowed salvation to be accomplished. "You are our life, our shield, our hope is to be at your side. Mary, watch over our journey. Protect us, for we are your children." Amen.
