Wednesday, August 14, 2024

15-AUG-'24, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary


Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mass during the Day

Lectionary: 622


Reading 1

Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB

God’s temple in heaven was opened,

and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.


A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,

with the moon under her feet,

and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she laboured to give birth.

Then another sign appeared in the sky;

it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,

and on its heads were seven diadems.

Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky

and hurled them down to the earth.

Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,

to devour her child when she gave birth.

She gave birth to a son, a male child,

destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.

Her child was caught up to God and his throne.

The woman herself fled into the desert

where she had a place prepared by God.


Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have salvation and power come,

and the Kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Anointed One.”


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16

R. (10bc)  The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.


The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.

R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.


Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,

forget your people and your father’s house.

R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.


So shall the king desire your beauty;

for he is your lord.

R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.


They are borne in with gladness and joy;

they enter the palace of the king.

R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.


Reading II

1 Corinthians 15:20-27

Brothers and sisters:

Christ has been raised from the dead,

the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

For since death came through man,

the resurrection of the dead came also through man.

For just as in Adam all die,

so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,

but each one in proper order:

Christ the firstfruits;

then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;

then comes the end,

when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,

when he has destroyed every sovereignty

and every authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death,

for “he subjected everything under his feet.”


Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Mary is taken up to heaven;

a chorus of angels exults.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out

and travelled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah,

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb,

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,

cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me,

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,

the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord

would be fulfilled.”


And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

and has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.”


Mary remained with her about three months

and then returned to her home.


Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections 


The Assumption of the Mother of God


“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.”  Luke 1:46–49


Today we celebrate one of seventeen different memorials, feasts and solemnities in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are found on the Roman Liturgical Calendar. Today’s celebration is one of the four great Solemnities by which our Blessed Mother is honoured. Obviously, no other person other than our Lord is honoured and celebrated with as much solemnity as the Mother of God.


The Solemnity of the Assumption honours the fact that when the Blessed Virgin Mary completed her life on earth, she was taken body and soul into Heaven to be with her resurrected Son so as to adore the Most Holy Trinity forever. It’s an amazing fact to consider that she retains her body and soul, united as one in Heaven, in anticipation of that glorious day when the new Heavens and Earth will be created and when all the faithful will rise so as to live in a new bodily form forever with God.


Though this dogma of our faith had been held and believed by the faithful from the earliest times of our Church, especially since it was witnessed by those closest to our Blessed Mother at the time of her glorious Assumption, it wasn’t until November 1, 1950, that Pope Pius XII solemnly proclaimed it to be so, raising this teaching of our faith to the level of a dogma, meaning, it must be held and believed by all. In part, the Holy Father declared, “…we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”


The Gospel passage quoted above comes from the beginning of Mary’s song of praise, her Magnificat, by which she not only gives the greatest glory to God but also reveals who she is. She is the one whom “all generations” will call “blessed.” She is the one for whom “the Almighty has done great things.” She is the one who will eternally proclaim “the greatness of the Lord” and whose spirit will forever rejoice in God her Savior. And she is that lowliest of servants whom God has raised up to the greatest glory.


Reflect, today, with the whole Church, upon the Most Glorious Ever-Virgin Mary who was conceived without sin, remained sinless throughout her life, and was taken body and soul into Heaven where she now adores the Most Holy Trinity and intercedes for you and for the whole Church. This is a Solemnity of great rejoicing! Share in this joy with the whole Church and with all the saints in Heaven!


Reflection 2

One Bread, One Body 


ASSUMING OUR ASSUMPTION?


“In Christ all will come to life again, but each one in proper order.” —1 Corinthians 15:22-23


The English word “assumption” is perhaps an unfortunate translation of the Latin word “assumptio.” “Assumptio” means to be taken up. The English word “assumption” usually means having an expectation without proof.  Nevertheless, God can work through this translation.


The Bible teaches that all Christians will be assumed to meet Jesus in the air when He comes again at the end of the world (1 Thes 4:17). Very few Christians expect to go to hell; we generally assume that we’ll be assumed to meet Jesus. This may be a false assumption. Just because we go to church or do great spiritual works does not mean we’ll be assumed to meet Jesus (Mt 7:21-23). Many falsely assume that if they’re not much worse than most people, they will be assumed (see Mt 7:13-14; Lk 13:24). Only by believing in Jesus and loving Him with all our hearts and souls, plus persevering until the end, will we rightly assume that we will be assumed to meet Jesus on the last day (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 161).


Mary knows this better than anyone else. If we are open to her ministry, she will lay bare the thoughts of our hearts and make sure we have no false assumptions about our own assumption (Lk 2:35).


Prayer:  Father, may I assume that I can do nothing without Jesus (Jn 15:5) and that I must believe in Him and persevere with the aid of Your grace to receive salvation.


Promise:  “He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places.” —Lk 1:52


Praise:  Praise Jesus, the Son and the Savior of Mary! (see Lk 1:47)


Reflection 3

The Servants of the Word 


My Spirit Rejoices in God My Savior


How strong is your hope in the promises of God? Mary is a model of faith and hope for us. And she is among "the first-fruits" of "all those who belong to Jesus" and who share in his triumph (1 Corinthians15:20-24). There is a venerable tradition dating back to the early church which marks Mary's "falling asleep" (called the Feast of Dormition in many Eastern churches) and her heavenly birthday when she was received into heaven. Her reception into heaven is seen as a sign to all believing Christians of the promise Jesus made that we too would be received into paradise. At the last supper Jesus told his disciples that he would prepare a place for them in his Father's house. "And when I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:3).


The Holy Spirit makes faith come alive within us

What enabled Mary to grow in faith and to persevere in hope in the face of obstacles and trials? The Gospel of Luke reveals the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in Mary's life. When Elizabeth and Mary greeted one another they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Savior. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leapt for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the Anointed King in the womb of Mary.


Those who are humble and hungry for God receive his Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. Mary accepted her mission with uncompromising faith and obedience. She acted with unwavering trust and faith because she believed that God would fulfill the word he had spoken. Her great hymn of praise echoes the song of Hannah (see 1 Samuel 2:1-10) and proclaims the favor of the Lord: God exalts the lowly and he fills the hungry.


The Holy Spirit fills us with the joy and hope of heaven

The Holy Spirit is ever ready to renew your faith and hope in God's promises and to make you strong in love for God and your neighbor. Do you live in the joy and confidence of God's indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?


Prayers


Most glorious and Ever-Virgin Mary, I rejoice today with you and with the whole Church for the most glorious things that God has done for you. You are beauty beyond beauty, Immaculate in every way, and worthy of our deepest love. As you now share body and soul in the glories of Heaven, please pray for me and for all your dear children on earth. Cover us with your mantle of love and pour forth the mercy of God upon us always. Mother Mary, assumed into Heaven, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Jesus, I trust in You.


Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me joy in seeking you more closely. Increase my faith in all your promises, my hope in the joys of heaven, and my love for You as my All.


Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy


Reflection 227: Human Plans are Thwarted

It’s easy for us to come up with what we deem to be a great plan for our lives and for the glory of God.  We can think, and plan, and develop and organize things in a certain way only to find out that what we have come up with is not what is in the Mind of God.  The error some people find themselves in is that they have failed to sincerely listen to God speak and, therefore, have failed to allow Him to lay out His perfect plan for their lives and for their good work of giving Him glory.  The fact remains that if something is not the Will of God, it will not happen.  Our plans become thwarted by the Will of God.  And this is good.  The same is true if others attempt to inflict some idea upon us that is contrary to God’s Will.  The Lord always protects us from this when we trust in Him.  It’s true that, at times, He allows evils to befall us as part of His permissive Will, but this must be seen as a part of His plan for our holiness, permitting us to trust more deeply in His providential care (See Diary #1180).


Reflect upon whether you sincerely seek God’s Will before you develop your own plan or idea.  This takes patience and surrender.  It requires that we deny our own impulses and preferences and allow the Lord to speak and act.  Reflect, also, upon any plans you have had for your own life that have not come to fruition.  Know that this is either the result of a lack of trust on your part, or because your plan did not align with the Will of God.  Surrender any past “failure” you have experienced and renew your commitment to seek only the Will of God.


Lord, I trust that in Your perfect wisdom, You will direct my life and lead me to give You perfect glory.  Help me to deny my own untamed impulses and preferences so that You and You alone will enter into my life and take charge.  I give all to You, dear Lord.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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