Thursday, August 15, 2024
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Mary on earth and in heaven
The bible stories of Mary the mother of Jesus do not begin with her birth. Instead in Luke 1 she comes to God’s attention, who sends Gabriel to asks her permission to become the mother of Jesus.
Blessed art thou among women. You have found favor with God.
Now in just a little while Mary is rejoicing with Elizabeth her elder cousin, also miraculously pregnant, because both of their babies are clapping for each other in their wombs.
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me.
In no time Mary is singing with Elizabeth. Whatever persecutions she endured in Nazareth when her before-marriage pregnancy was discovered mattered no longer. God lifted the spirits of these two women high into the sky. Even the stars could not hold them.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. From this day all generations will call me blessed.
My friend Mary Lou received her nun’s habit on this feast day, and forever after this has been her favorite church holiday in all the world. I imagine her flat on the ground, (not sure when that happens) weeping with joy in the sanctuary. Lying there along with Mary, weeping with joy beside her.
The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those in every generation. He has filled the hungry with good things, the rich he has sent away empty.
Today’s readings also include Revelation 11 and 12, in which Mary, now lifted into heaven, must protect her infant son from the rulers, authorities and powers of the dark world.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Who else could this be? It is the Queen of Heaven.
She was with child. She labored to give as another sign appeared in the sky, which was a huge red dragon, whose tail swept away a third of the stars and hurled them down to earth.
The dragon’s temper got the better of him. But he recovered and then stood before the pregnant woman, waiting.
He would devour her child, and she gave birth to a son destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
The huge red dragon could do nothing. He shivered, he wilted away, he moaned in dejection. This woman and her son looked at the dragon, and they looked at the heavens, and they knew they were safe in the arms of their Father.
The child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman fled into the desert to an oasis prepared by God.
Jesus and his mother lived tethered to earth for quite some time. I imagine a heavenly cloud obscured the view of the devil dragon while they lived out their earthly lives, while Jesus rekindled the fires of the kingdom of God on earth.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven cry, “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Anointed One.”
(Revelation 11-12, Psalm 45, 1 Corinthians 15, Luke 1)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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