Assumption BVM (2024-08-15)

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Homily – August 15, 2024  Assumption  ● Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab●  Psalm 45 ●

● 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 ● + Luke 1:39-56 ●

 

[__01__]   Recently, a friend of mine told me of his travel plans, together with his family to visit London and Paris. And he is hoping to visit, while in northern France, Normandy Beach, the location of the Allied invasion into France and a successful battle and turning point to bring an end to World War 2.

          This year is the 80^th anniversary of the Normandy invasion. It was at the 40^th anniversary of the Normandy invasion that TV journalist Tom Brokaw felt inspired to start and write his book – The Greatest Generation – about those who came of age during World War 2 and which reported heroic sacrifices not only by soldiers who landed at Normandy Beach and other zones of combat but also women and men – civilian and military – by whom World War 2 was fought – on many fields of battle.

 

[__02__]  It is logical for my friend – or any of us – to witness to Normandy by going there, by seeing it for ourselves and to pray that those who died would have received the crown of righteousness and a heavenly reward.

          The Normandy monuments and cemetery recall this. Over 100,000 soldiers –both Allied and German – died at Normandy and are buried in the cemetery.

          The Normandy cemetery is just one example – other memorials exist – more recently for the wildfires in Maui, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and more and we remember those who died in a heroic manner and certain places become sacred and revered as a result.  [● ●]

 [__03__]  In the Gospel on this Feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we read of Mary’s heroic journey to the hill country of Judea to be with her relative/cousin Elizabeth.

          Both Mary and Elizabeth are expecting the birth of a child. Mary is be the mother of God, of Jesus our Savior.

          Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist, the prophet who announces Jesus as the “Behold Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29, 1:36)

 

[__04__]  Each woman – Elizabeth and Mary – in her own way – was facing danger and uncertainty and meets her situation with faith in Almighty God.

          Mary has been found to be with child by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. Yet, this remarkable fact was not published immediately, but remained a concealed mystery for some time.

          Some biblical commentators have remarked that the reason Mary is betrothed/engaged to be  married to Joseph serves not just to provide Jesus a male role model and father figure but also conceals – for now – his miraculous birth without an earthly father.

          But, the revelation of his miraculous birth would be delayed. Satan, the evil spirt, would have delighted in knowing this fact early on so he could set out to destroy the child.

And, Herod also set out to detroy the child. Thus we have the martyrdom of the innocent children.

          Jesus-Mary-Joseph – JMJ – were hard to find. They looked like everyone else.

 

[__05__]   Nevertheless, from early on Mary – together with Joseph – had to fight, had to keep moving and turn to God for counsel and strength.

In this regard, the Holy Family did not look like anyone else.

 

[__06__]  The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – body and soul – into heaven – is a recognition of her connection to Jesus as the Son of God and the Word of God.  Mary in her own body and person is the Temple, the new Temple and tabernacle of the covenant.  [● ●]

 [__07__]  The reason that the ancient people of Israel – the Jewish people – built a Temple structure was to recognize that they had made it to the Promised Land and they could rest from the labor of carrying the Ark of the Covenant. The ark of covenant – God’s word in the commandments – would be in the Temple structure.

          Mary is the new Temple containing and nurturing Jesus as the Word of God and allowing him to be sent out into the world.

          Just as God’s word was not really contained or confined in the first Temple footprint, the Word of God is not confined to Mary, though she is the very first disciple and “parishioner” of God’s new one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

         

 

[__08__]  Pope Benedict XVI (B16) in an article about what it means to preach – or for one’s soul to proclaim the greatness of God – remarks that we have to be careful not to be too absolute in our perceptions or attitudes toward the present moment.

          B16 calls this the “absolutizing” or “absoluteness” of human power.  Do we not have a reason to fear those who wield “absolute power”?

          From a moral standpoint, we might view ourselves as morally upright just based on what is possible not based on what is real. (https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/philosophy/the-absolutization-of-man.html)

 [__09__]  It is true that we live an uncertain world and we may have fears about what is coming next – whether that is from the next appointment with the doctor or political debate.

          Perhaps, we think that earlier generations – some of whom have been described as “great” – maybe even had it easier than we do. Or we imagine that there were earlier moments in our lives that were not so tough.

          But, to take Normandy Beach as an example, that was not – as basketball fans say – a “slam dunk”.

          Mary’s life of heroic virtue – looking back may seem simple but was not easy.

          Her life called her not to be aware of the mysteries unfolding – the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity – but not to be entangled in them. She had to look ahead – even to look beyond the Crucifixion of her son and to continue to say Yes.

          And, to give you and me a reason also to say YES so that God’s word might be nurtured and born from us as well. To recognize that we – like Mary- are not the Saviors of the world, but called to witness to Him …

          To recognize Jesus even if others ignore Him.

          To repent of our sins even if others ignore His mercy .. so that we will also with him body and sould in heaven and to give thanks the Lord still looks with favor on his lowly servants because the Almighty has done great things for us and holy is His name. (cf. Luke 1:39-56) [__end__]