THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR MOTHER – INDEPENDENCE OF OUR MOTHER LAND – AUGUST 15TH – SUNDAY (Lk 1: 39-56)

1. I heard from a priest who said that this incident in which Mary goes to help her cousin is the first Eucharistic procession, carrying the Eucharistic Lord in her womb. A fitting adoration is done by Elizabeth and John the Baptist who adored the Lord by leaping in the womb of his mother.

2. The dogma of the Assumption declares that the Blessed Virgin Mary in her whole person that is in body and soul enjoys heavenly glory. Nothing is definite about her manner of departure from this world. Yet, the general view holds that she died, was buried and rose again. Pius XII in the Bull of definition declares that Mary’s body did not suffer corruption in the tomb. God in some mysterious way has taken her body and soul into heaven.

3. Theoteknos, the Bishop of Livias in 6th century has preached a homily on Assumption. “Mary is the second Eve, who has come to undo the disobedience of the first Eve. Finding in the scriptures a unique relation between Jesus and Mary he explains that even in death the mother cannot be separated from her son and he has taken her all holy body, her God bearing body, this body which received God, a body made God like, incorruptible, glowing with divine light and fuel of glory, was carried by the apostles in the company of angels’, interred for a short time in the earth and taken up to heaven in glory with her soul loved by God”.

4. Death is a punishment for sin. Blessed mother should have escaped death due to her sinlessness. But God wanted Mary to resemble Jesus in all things, Jesus died. It was fitting therefore that His mother should also die. Moreover since He wished to provide the just with an example of the precious death that would be theirs, He willed that Blessed Virgin should die a death that was sweet and happy. She was then taken up to heaven with all glory and honour.

5. Devotion to Mary as Mother of God began in the second century, with several influential works like Protevangelium of James, supplying details of her life missing from the New Testament. The tradition of her Dormition (In East) or Assumption (later dogma in the West) seems to have began in the fourth or fifth century and to have taken various forms until the idea of her being taken body and soul into heaven became generalized in the ninth century.

As we honour our Blessed Mother and our Mother land India, we should always strive to follow the footsteps of Mary our Mother and the freedom fighters of our country. Mary is the model of an ideal Christian and the freedom fighters are the models of ideal citizens. We are called to be honest citizens and faithful Christians. Today’s feast can be an inspiration for all of us. Happy Feast and Jai Hind!

Courtesy
The Assumption of Mary – Kilian Healey
The glories of Mary – St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
The pulpit Commentary
Butler’s Saint for the day