It was the will of God that the humiliation of death should precede the glory of Mary’s assumption, so she might be made in all things like her Divine Son. Let us occupy our thoughts today, then, with her ‘dormition’.
St Alphonsus says: generally, three things make death painful. 1) “Attachment to earthly possessions. O death”, says ‘Ecclesiasticus’, “how bitter is your remembrance to a man who 'has peace in his possessions!’”
Mary had nothing of this. From the age of three years she made the sacrifice of parents, of friends, and of all the world. All her affections were fixed on God. Nothing to regret on earth, her only desire was to leave it, that she might fly to the only object of her love: Jesus.
2) ‘Remorse’: what the dying person’s heart feels at the ‘thought of his sins’ and of God’s justice. But ‘remorse’ had no place in Our Lady’s heart. Her continuous heroic acts of virtue seemed to say, ‘We are your works; we will not leave you alone; we will go with you to the throne of God to add lustre to your triumph.’
Let us endeavor to remove the last traces of our past sins by penance. Redouble our vigilance, that we may not repeat them. So that, far from experiencing remorse at the hour of death, we will be confident and joyful in the blessed expectation of an eternal reward.
“Often”, said St Bernardine of Siena, “when thinking of those words of the Holy Spirit, ‘Man knows not whether he is worthy of love or hatred’, I have trembled from head to foot, and been in a kind of agony.”
3) ‘Uncertainty about eternal salvation.’ What reason for fear could the Mother of God have, who saw the throne of glory prepared for her in heaven by the side of her Divine Son? Thus, she longed for the moment which should break the bonds that bound her to earth.
There is a saying of the Fathers: ‘A servant of Mary shall never perish.’ Expand your heart, then, with confidence. Our Mother will give us a hundredfold; assist us in our last moments, as she did to St Stanislaus Kostka, who died saying he saw Our Lady coming to him.
Today, then, the eve of the most solemn of her feasts, let us prepare by holy affections and ardent desire to celebrate it worthily, so we may obtain a large share in the favors which she delights to pour on her devoted children on the anniversary of her Coronation.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp517-9
Our Lady, ‘Ark of the New Covenant’
The Old Testament narrates the translation of the Ark of the Covenant to the definitive resting place (cf 1 Chronicles, 15:3-4; 15-6; 16:1-2) which God had chosen on Mount Sion (Ps 131, 14). The Ark was moved with boundless joy to the city of David and placed in the duly prepared Tabernacle.
The Ark was the sign of God’s presence amidst his People. Inside was his Word, inscribed on “two tablets of the Law” (Deut 9:15). We recall this passage because Mary is the ‘Ark of the New Covenant’. In her womb the Son of God, the Word made flesh, dwelt for nine months. (cf C Pozo, “Mary in Scripture and in the faith of the Church”, Madrid 1985)
Upon her Assumption she found her final abode in the heart of the Blessed Trinity. “Mary was brought up to heaven amidst acclamations of joy and praise. She went directly into God’s presence, and there took her throne in glory above all the angels and saints.” (St Amadeus of Lausanne, “8 Marian Homilies”, Buenos Aires)
Recourse to Our Lady is the best way to implore God. The Second Vatican Council has reaffirmed: “taken up to heaven, she does not lay aside this salvific duty ... but by her constant intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation”. (“Lumen Gentium”, 62)
Our Mother, you who are so close to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, don’t let me go, or them, my Mother. Devotion to the most Holy Virgin gives us great security all the time! She will always listen, whatever may be our circumstances. Let us then be filled with hope and confidence.
“... And when the moment to render an account of our soul to God comes, we shall not fear death. Dying will be like moving to a new home for us. It will come when God wants. ... a liberation, the beginning of a Life. ... to live in a new way, closely united to the most Moly Virgin, to eternally adore the most Blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ... the prize awaiting us.” (Alvaro del Portillo, “Homily at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Angels of Torreciudad”, 15 August 1989)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:83-5, 87-8
St Maximilian Mary Kolbe, priest and martyr
He consecrated himself to the Lord in the Franciscan Order. Filled with love for the Virgin, he founded the Militia of the Immaculate Mary (‘Immaculata’). Interned in Auschwitz (Poland) during World War II, he offered himself in exchange for the father of a large family who was to be executed. John Paul II proclaimed him ‘Patron of Our Suffering Century’. His life reminds us of our many problems -- hunger, peace and reconcililation among men, the need to give meaning to life and death. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1604)
St Maximilian Kolbe
A certain link exists between the Martyrs of Nagasaki and Father Kolbe. It is their readiness to give testimony of the Gospel message. When he arrived in Japan in 1930, he immediately resolved to accomplish, in a Japanese environment, what he had discovered as his special mission: promoting the devotion to the Virgin and being an instrument of evangelization by means of the printed word.
Founding the ‘City of the Immaculate’ and publishing the “Seibo No kishi” were two sides of one great design for him: to bring Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, to all peoples.
There is yet another element regarding evangelization in St Maximilian’s life -- it is devotion to Mary.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, p291
• Vigil of the Assumption of Our Lady, with fasting, of which mention is made by Nicolas I, who was pope in the year 858. It is recorded that on this day angels were heard, near the city of Soissons, singing this anthem: “Felix namque es, sacra Virgo Maria, et omni laude dignissima, quia ex te ortus est Sol jnstitia, Christus Deus noster.” — Thomas, Concep., lib, ii., part 7. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Vigil of the Assumption of Our Lady. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
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