Solemnity of The Assumption of our Lady

Holy Mother Church is ever indebted to our Blessed Virgin Mary for her willingness to accept God’s will and become the Mother of God. In the eternal plan of God, we see mother Mary has shown unyielding faithfulness. Born to an aged Jewish parents St’s Ann and Joachim, she learnt to trust God completely without bounds. The message of Angel Gabriel gave her a moment to reflect upon her role, but nothing deterred her to say Yes to the Lord - the ‘Fiat’ that brought the Saviour here on earth. As rightly St. Augustine said that before giving birth to Jesus from her womb Mary conceived Jesus in her heart. All angels rejoiced at the beautiful response of Mary as the work of Salvation comes to fulfilment in her ‘Yes’

Nevertheless, the journey of her willingness continued with ups and downs, fears and doubts above all of them her faith prevailed for the Lord will win her Salvation by His grace. ‘Hail Full of grace’ cites us the importance that she received from the very messenger of God - Archangel Gabriel. Her blessedness did not consist in claiming it rather in living it with utmost grace and love; her loving kindness is not unnoticed at the wedding feast of Cana and made the Lord perform the first Sign of changing water into wine. Our lives with empty jars needs to be filled to the brim that our Lord can transform us into tasty wine at the request of Mary.

The life of Mary reached its pinnacle at the foot of the Cross when she gazed upon her only wounded Son - the Saviour of World; no sorrow would ever equal to hers as she wept for the innocent Lamb slain on the Cross. Her faith remained firm when the lifeless body was placed on her, she persisted in faith that He will Rise again on the third. This is the true example to follow the Mother in faith. She obeyed the words of the Lord and stayed with John the beloved disciple, there she continued her role to intercede for the early Church in the upper room. As a Mother she is first witness at the Birth of Jesus, first witness at the death of Jesus and finally first witness at the birth of Church on the day of Pentecost. She continues her work of intercession for the church militant without forgetting the souls in purgatory and all the saints and angels rejoice her presence in heaven as the Queen of Heaven.

O what a wonderful life is that of Mother Mary to be the Mother of God and acknowledge the Saviour for His gift of Salvation with love. As the women in the new testament shouts aloud blessed is the breast that nursed you, so also blessed is her body and soul that cannot perish in this world. The Lord has given this privilege to our Blessed mother to see no decay to her body; nothing can contain the blessed mother in this world as she bore the Son of God in her body. Death cannot engulf her for the Son of God has destroyed death and restored life. Hence, the dogma of Assumption states, “ by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, 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.” (Dogma of Assumption no.44)

With this firm assertion of the Church we no longer doubt but believe with all our heart that our Lady assumed into heaven through the infinite mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we pray in the liturgy of The Ascension of the Lord that as the head rises above to heaven so does the body; similarly, as the Mother Assumes into heaven she invites us all to follow her path of faith and humility in fulfilling God’s eternal plan in our mortal lives. Let us not hesitate to take recourse to her heavenly intercession to fight against every evil temptation that comes on our way to holiness. May our Blessed Mother continue to intercede for all of us and lift our dropping spirits with her powerful intercession and care. Hail! Of Blessed Mother Assumed into Heaven. Amen