Assumption of Our Lady (August 15th 2007)

Today - August 15th - we celebrate the resurrection.

Yes we do - but not simply the resurrection of Jesus, but because of his resurrection which we celebrated at Easter, we now celebrate the resurrection of all humanity, summed up in the Mother of Christ and the Mother of all faithful people, Mary herself.

When we were baptised, we received that gift of grace and the freedom from original sin which Mary rceived at the first moment of her existence, at her (immaculate) conception.

Today we celebrate the ending of Mary's earthly life, when her body joins her flesh, her Son, in heaven. In the Assumption, Mary shares in her Son's resurrection. Our prayer is that when we come to the end of our lives, and our judgement is complete, after a time of purification, the time in purgatory, we too will share in the life of Christ's resurrection, with Mary,

We differ from Mary in really only one respect - that she was always 'full of grace' (as the angel told her) - that she is the most blessed of all women (as Elizabeth told her), that she is the Mother of the Lord, that all generations of people call her blessed. She was able to believe the promise made her by the Lord because she never lost vision of that wonderful gift of grace - as we so often do.

To regain that grace, we must repent, beg forgiveness of our sins, and come to confession to receive those blessings again.

Mary has no need to do this. From her flesh, the Word became flesh. From her obedience, God incarnate dwelt amongst.

And her love and her devotion and her piety and her faith and her sinless is crowned by her entry into heaven. Most blessed of all women. Queen of heaven. Immaculate Mary. Mother of God.