SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF BVM

HOMILY FOR THE 20TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR B

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

15th AUGUST 2021

R1:    Rev. 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab

R/P:  Ps 45:10, 11,12,16

R2:    1Cor 15:20-27

Gospel: Lk 1:39-56

Today the church rejoices in the exaltation of the humble handmaid of the Lord. 

The feast of Assumption is the greatest of Mary's feast days. Thus it has been well described as “Our Lady’s Easter”, for on this day, a holy day of obligation, we recall Our Lady’s Assumption into heaven and her crowning as Queen. Though the church has always believed in the assumption of Mary, the dogma was only formally defined by Pope Pius XII on 1 November 1950 on his Bull Munificentissimus Deus.

God is unique in all His ways and impeccable in everything He does. In the coming of His only Begotten Son in human form, He chose the holy and immaculate womb of the Virgin Mary to accomplish the mystery of incarnation; so that filled with grace from above, this stainless Maiden receives the singular honour of being the mother of her creator.

More so, the Assumption of Mary into heaven in body and soul remains one of the fruits of her ideal faith in God and in God’s plan for her. In the blessed and holy Virgin Mary, we see what God wishes for all His children and what the power of grace (the oil of impossibility) can achieve in all who place their trust in God. This power can change everything about us when we remain faithful to God like the Virgin Mary. She is the model of all Christian virtues because in her was deposited “the fullness of grace”. She is never lacking in any grace and that is why all the promises of God were realised in her.

Being full of grace, BVM is able to be a dispenser of grace though her powerful intercession. Through her faithfulness to God and trust in His plans and promises, she embodies all the merits of Christ her son. Mary remains a  model for all. Hence by imitating her virtues, we make ourselves available to experience the power and working of God’s grace and to receive in our lives the merits of Christ. In the words of the second reading (1 Cor.15:20-26), “just as all men and women die in Adam, so all men and women will be brought to life in Christ”. Mary lived and lives for Christ. She decided to place Jesus at the centre of her life. She challenges us to place Jesus at the centre of our lives too. She now lives in the glory of heaven by that singular act of grace through which she was assumed into heaven body and soul, so that where Christ is , there also she will be; and from where Christ reigns as King, there also she will reign as Queen; for “a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for crown” (Rev.11:19,12:1-6,10)

Unwittingly, the unique role of Christ as the mediator is often juxtaposed with Mary’s intercessory vocation, leading many to consider her an obstacle to a relationship with God. But the truth remains that Mary’s role in no way conflicts with that of her son and Saviour, Jesus Christ. As the first beneficiary of Christ’s salvation, she perfectly embodies and represents the salvation from her son by the singular privilege of God’s grace.

In effect, Mary recognises her lowliness as the maidservant (Lk.1:39) and her greatness because of God’s grace (Lk1:49) and  very readily proclaims both. Such a person at no time struggles with or constitutes an obstacle to the true worship of God. Accordingly, as the bearer of the plenitude of grace, Mary deserves the honour and devotion of all children of God as an extension of the praise of the prodigies of the Lord. 

In the words of a Protestant theologian, Joel B. Green “to say Mary is the ‘blessed One’ is to join the Spirit of the Magnificat to prophesy about who God is and what God has done. Mary is the blessed one because of what God  has in her and through her. Not to bless Mary is to turn away from the work of God”. 

Similarly, Joseph Ratzinger had earlier made the point. According to him, “the Mgnificat shows us that Mary belong to the name of God, so much so in fact, that we cannot praise him rightly if we leave her out of account” (J. Ratzinger, “Hail, Full of Grace”, 1997,116). 

Let us celebrate this day as we honour how God has “looked with favour on His lowly servant”. 

I wish us all a happy feast of Assumption.

Reflection by:

Fr. JohnPaul Obialor,SMMM