
On this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. I was especially struck by the preface.
For today the Virgin Mother of God was assumed into heaven as the beginning and image of your Church’s coming to perfection and a sign of sure hope and comfort to your pilgrim people...
Gosh, this feast is such a sign of hope and comfort. Sometimes the pilgrimage toward our heavenly homeland seems long. Homesickness is real. Sometimes it's just that...wanting to be home. St Paul certainly felt that way, "So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him." 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
Our Lady's only aim was to please her son, to walk in perfect faith. And her homesickness while on this early pilgrimage must have been intense. Her longing to follow her Son, to be at home with Him... but He had given her a mission, to take care of other sons.
Bishop Olmstead's homily on this great feast speaks about the victory already won and the battles still to be fought within that victory, "As Jesus suffered death on the Cross to defeat Satan and to redeem the world, Mary stood in solidarity with Him and heard His final battle cry: “Consumatum Est! It is finished! The mission is accomplished! The victory is won!” Nonetheless, the Ancient Serpent, in a final effort to make Mary despair, spewed forth lies such as this, “Your miserable son is dead. The so-called Messiah has failed! His foolish dream is over!” But the sinless Virgin Mother looked Satan in the eye, raised her blood-soaked foot, and crushed his head." (This is my favorite part)

"Only three days thereafter, Mary’s faith was rewarded. Her Beloved Son rose triumphantly from the grave. He consoled His mother’s heart as He took His throne on High, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead." (Read the rest of it here, it is excellent)
This is the already and not yet. The tension of this earthly pilgrimage. The cry of Maranatha, our Lord, come! Our Lord will come. Come, Lord Jesus! We are full of confidence, and yet everything does not seem conquered yet. The desire for all things to be fulfilled and consumated is already and not yet. Even ourselves are not conquered completely. Sometimes it is even my own pride at seeing myself still so imperfect that the Lord needs to conquer. To love littleness is the victory, to be a lowly, humble handmaiden and to "let it be done to me according to your will" is the victory and greatest crown. This is the glorious day, on which the Virgin Mother of God was taken up to heaven. Arise, O Virgin Queen, you are for ever worthy of our praise; take your place in the glorious dwelling place of the eternal King
Jesus encourages us on our pilgrimage with the sign of Our Lady's Assumption and with his words at the Last Supper, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3
He is preparing for us to be home. Our Lady and the Saints and Angels are awaiting us.
Almighty, ever-living God,
who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son,
body and soul into heavenly glory,
grant, we pray,
that, always attentive to the things that are above, (May we see heaven as our final goal)
we may merit to be sharers of her glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen. Maranatha.
Comments