Rev. 11:19,12:1-6,10, Ps. 45:10-12,16, 1 Cor. 15:20-26, Luke 1:39-56
“For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:48-49)
Today is the 15th of August, a day we celebrate the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God into heaven. Are you wondering what that means? Pause for a while and think about how Elijah’s life on earth came to an end before handing it over to Elisha. We read from 2 Kings 2:9-13 “When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "I pray you, let me inherit a double share of your spirit." And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so." …. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven… And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces. And he took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
Did Elijah die? Yes and No. Yes, because he is not around anymore on earth. No, because we cannot find where his body was buried. If God could be this gracious to his prophet, then how about his own mother? According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 966: “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.
Unlike the case of Elijah, Mary’s move into heaven is not directly documented in the Bible but our readings at Mass today give us helpful clues as to what happened. The first reading is a passage from the book of Revelation. It speaks of a woman who was at the point of giving birth to a great child and a dragon stood there waiting to devour the child only for the child to be taken up into heaven while she went free. The second reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians compares Christ with Adam. While Adam represents the entrance of sin and death to mankind, Christ represents the redemption and resurrection of mankind so for Mary to have given birth to Christ, she is no ordinary woman.
The Gospel passage from Luke describes the meeting of two women, two living miracles whose lives were so transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit, one pregnant even though passed the age of child-bearing, the other pregnant even though she had never known a man before. The lives of Elizabeth and Mary are proofs that there is no such thing as impossibility when it comes to God. The words of Elizabeth to Mary define her uniqueness amongst everything that God ever created. “Blessed are you among women.” No woman can ever be more popular than Mary, no woman can ever rise to a more glorious position than Mary, and no woman’s name will ever be mentioned on the lips of millions and millions of generations upon generations to come like the name of Mary.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you did not allow your mother to experience corruption on earth, grant that through her intercession, I may one day come over to join you in heaven. Amen
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bible Study: Rev. 11:19,12:1-6,10, Ps. 45:10-12,16, 1 Cor. 15:20-26, Luke 1:39-56).
© Rev. Fr. Evaristus Abu