Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Mass during the Day
Background on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary[1]
Readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Revelations 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
In this selection from the Revelation of St. John, we see the image of the Virgin Mary about to give birth to the Messiah. This portrayal, with images taken from Genesis and symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel, shows the Christ being born of Mary and recalls her flight to Egypt. The dragon (which is the first one to be depicted) represents the secular governments at the time – Herod and Rome. The final verse of the passage proclaims Jesus as the Christ – “his Anointed One.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
R.(10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16
The queen identified in this passage is Jerusalem, central to the Jewish faith. Offered here, we see her (Jerusalem) as an analog to Mary who brought forth the Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for “he subjected everything under his feet.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 15:20-27
As part of the tableau painted on the Feast of the Assumption, we find St. Paul reminding us that Christ is the King, in heaven and on earth, and that all things (including his Mother who will be Queen of Heaven) are subject to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:39-56
Following the Annunciation of Christ’s birth by Gabriel and Mary’s acceptance of God’s invitation, we find her going to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who is also with child (John the Baptist). Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, will already have been stricken dumb because of his unbelief (a silence broken only at the naming of his son). The women meet and we hear two of the great professions of faith.
The first of this is by Elizabeth as she names Mary theotokis, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Mary’s response is the Canticle of Mary or the Magnificat; expressing her humility at being so honored and her faith in God’s great saving plan.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Even as the words of the Magnificat, spoken by the Mother of God as she greeted her cousin Elizabeth (carrying St. John the Baptist, the great Voice in her womb) echo in the world today at the very beginning of her earthly life as the Virgin Mother, we recall the great reward the Lord bestowed upon her. Tradition holds that after some years following the Lord’s great passion and death, the Theotokis, the great Mother of God, constantly an example of faith and adoration of her own Son, our God, begged to be reunited with the one she loved above all else, Jesus.
Because of her great love, fidelity, and suffering, it is said by several of the early Church Fathers the angel Gabriel, the very messenger who those many years before had said “Hail, full of grace…” came to her again and informed her that her wish would be granted and that she would be reunited with him in his heavenly kingdom which even then was waiting breathlessly for the arrival of its queen. Before she departed the earth she asked one further request, that all of the Apostles, living and dead, be reunited with her once more before she departed the world, sharing the bond of the love of Christ they shared in everlasting joy. This boon, recorded in ancient writings, was granted and they were snatched up from their various journeys, missionary trips, and even, through the power of God, summoned to her from their own eternal rest (as was the case of Barnabas whom we are told already slept in the bosom of the Lord). These great heirs of Jesus’ legacy came together and were with Holy Mary as she passed from this life to the next.
- Mass during the Day
Background on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary[1]
Readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Revelations 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
In this selection from the Revelation of St. John, we see the image of the Virgin Mary about to give birth to the Messiah. This portrayal, with images taken from Genesis and symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel, shows the Christ being born of Mary and recalls her flight to Egypt. The dragon (which is the first one to be depicted) represents the secular governments at the time – Herod and Rome. The final verse of the passage proclaims Jesus as the Christ – “his Anointed One.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
R.(10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16
The queen identified in this passage is Jerusalem, central to the Jewish faith. Offered here, we see her (Jerusalem) as an analog to Mary who brought forth the Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for “he subjected everything under his feet.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 15:20-27
As part of the tableau painted on the Feast of the Assumption, we find St. Paul reminding us that Christ is the King, in heaven and on earth, and that all things (including his Mother who will be Queen of Heaven) are subject to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:39-56
Following the Annunciation of Christ’s birth by Gabriel and Mary’s acceptance of God’s invitation, we find her going to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who is also with child (John the Baptist). Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, will already have been stricken dumb because of his unbelief (a silence broken only at the naming of his son). The women meet and we hear two of the great professions of faith.
The first of this is by Elizabeth as she names Mary theotokis, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Mary’s response is the Canticle of Mary or the Magnificat; expressing her humility at being so honored and her faith in God’s great saving plan.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Even as the words of the Magnificat, spoken by the Mother of God as she greeted her cousin Elizabeth (carrying St. John the Baptist, the great Voice in her womb) echo in the world today at the very beginning of her earthly life as the Virgin Mother, we recall the great reward the Lord bestowed upon her. Tradition holds that after some years following the Lord’s great passion and death, the Theotokis, the great Mother of God, constantly an example of faith and adoration of her own Son, our God, begged to be reunited with the one she loved above all else, Jesus.
Because of her great love, fidelity, and suffering, it is said by several of the early Church Fathers the angel Gabriel, the very messenger who those many years before had said “Hail, full of grace…” came to her again and informed her that her wish would be granted and that she would be reunited with him in his heavenly kingdom which even then was waiting breathlessly for the arrival of its queen. Before she departed the earth she asked one further request, that all of the Apostles, living and dead, be reunited with her once more before she departed the world, sharing the bond of the love of Christ they shared in everlasting joy. This boon, recorded in ancient writings, was granted and they were snatched up from their various journeys, missionary trips, and even, through the power of God, summoned to her from their own eternal rest (as was the case of Barnabas whom we are told already slept in the bosom of the Lord). These great heirs of Jesus’ legacy came together and were with Holy Mary as she passed from this life to the next.
Now it is recorded also that the Jews, who were in great fear because of what they had done, had plotted to burn the body of the Virgin Mother upon her death so that no sign of her earthly presence would remain and no focal point of faith in Christ might be preserved for the Christians whom they still hoped to eradicate. The loving Son of Mary would not permit such heresy and, with the whole company of the Apostles present, her body followed her great soul into the heavenly kingdom where she assumes her rightful place of honor.
There are those, even some who claim the Catholic faith that do not believe this conclusion to Saint Mary’s earthly life. The details recorded in ancient literature fly in the face of logic. But then the translation of the Lord’s own body and that of the great prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-12) also cause similar problems. Faith in God’s great mercy is necessary to understand the promise and reward of living so fully God’s will that such a reward would be given.
It is that very faith that our Consolation so humbly expressed and lived that causes us to take up the festival strains of her song this day. She points so faithfully to her Son, our God that we must be in awe of the grace our Heavenly Father bestowed upon her. Today we recall once more how greatly God loves us. Through a Blessed Virgin, pure and undefiled even in death, he brought life into the world, that we might not die but live eternally in him.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Assumption of the Virgin “ by Andrea Del Sarto, 1529
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
There are those, even some who claim the Catholic faith that do not believe this conclusion to Saint Mary’s earthly life. The details recorded in ancient literature fly in the face of logic. But then the translation of the Lord’s own body and that of the great prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-12) also cause similar problems. Faith in God’s great mercy is necessary to understand the promise and reward of living so fully God’s will that such a reward would be given.
It is that very faith that our Consolation so humbly expressed and lived that causes us to take up the festival strains of her song this day. She points so faithfully to her Son, our God that we must be in awe of the grace our Heavenly Father bestowed upon her. Today we recall once more how greatly God loves us. Through a Blessed Virgin, pure and undefiled even in death, he brought life into the world, that we might not die but live eternally in him.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Assumption of the Virgin “ by Andrea Del Sarto, 1529
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
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