The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
On Nov. 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption of Mary as a dogma of faith. This means that he officially stated that after living her earthly life, Mary was taken up to heavenly glory, body and soul. This belief was widely held in the Catholic Church even before the official declaration.
Even though there’s no direct mention of Mary’s Assumption in the Bible, many see her as an embodiment of victory in Revelation 12, where a woman is caught up in a battle between good and evil. Also, Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:20 about Christ’s resurrection are thought to reflect Mary’s share in His glorification. Due to Mary’s close connection to all aspects of Jesus’ life, it’s believed that she must be with Him, body and soul, in heaven.
‘In the light of the Assumption of Mary, it is easy to pray her Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) with new meaning. In her glory she proclaims the greatness of the Lord and finds joy in God her Savior. God has done marvels to her and she leads others to recognize God’s holiness.
Mary is the lowly handmaid who deeply reverenced her God and has been raised to the heights. From her position of strength she will help the lowly and the poor find justice on earth, and she will challenge the rich and powerful to distrust wealth and power as a source of happiness.’
Melissa McCoy
Maryville Chaplain
August Notes:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
The World Celebrates Mary on Aug. 15
Did you know in Sardinia, there is a parade is called “Candelieri” because they carry seven huge candlesticks, each holding a torch of 100 pounds of wax. The parade winds its way through town to the Church of the Assumption where the candles are placed beside Mary’s shrine. The tradition of the “Candelieri” dates back to the year 1580 when a deadly epidemic suddenly ended on Aug. 15 after the town had vowed to honor Mary by offering these candles every year.
In various cultures around the world, this day is celebrated with flowers and with blessing of meals of grapes, wheat, and herbs such as sweet basil. One ancient tradition believed that after the fall of Adam and Eve, flowers and herbs lost their fragrance and power, but on the day of Mary’s Assumption into heaven, all flora regained its sweet scent and herbs had their healing power returned to them.
Celebrate Mary’s Assumption with a fragrant bouquet of flowers and herbs this year!
How will you celebrate the Assumption of Mary in 2024?
The Transfiguration of the Lord
When I am feeling scared and uncertain about the future, I reflect on the words of Pope Francis from Feb. 28, 2021 about the Transfiguration of Jesus. I ask for ‘the light of hope, the light to pass through the shadows,’ and the strong belief that ‘death is not the end of everything, as it will lead to the glory of the Resurrection.’”
Let’s reflect on the three accounts of the Transfiguration found in
Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, and Luke 9:28-36.
