Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary - Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 622
Lectionary: 622
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."
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."
Responsorial
PsalmPS 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.
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.
Reading 21 COR 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."
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."
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Mary is taken up to heaven;
a chorus of angels exults.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Mary is taken up to heaven;
a chorus of angels exults.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 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.
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.
Meditation: "He who is mighty has
done great things for me"
How strong is your hope in the promises of God? Mary
is a model of faith and hope for us. And she is among "the
first-fruits" of "all those who belong to Jesus" and who share
in his triumph (1 Corinthians15:20-24). There is a venerable tradition dating
back to the early church which marks Mary's "falling asleep" (called
the Feast of Dormition in many Eastern churches) and her heavenly birthday when
she was received into heaven. Her reception into heaven is seen as a sign to
all believing Christians of the promise Jesus made that we too would be
received into paradise. At the last supper Jesus told his disciples that he
would prepare a place for them in his Father's house. "And when I go to
prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that
where I am you may be also" (John 14:3).
The Holy Spirit makes faith come alive within us
What enabled Mary to grow in faith and to persevere in hope in the face of obstacles and trials? The Gospel of Luke reveals the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in Mary's life. When Elizabeth and Mary greeted one another they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Savior. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leapt for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the Anointed King in the womb of Mary.
What enabled Mary to grow in faith and to persevere in hope in the face of obstacles and trials? The Gospel of Luke reveals the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in Mary's life. When Elizabeth and Mary greeted one another they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Savior. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leapt for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the Anointed King in the womb of Mary.
Those who are humble and hungry for God receive his
Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. Mary accepted her mission with uncompromising faith and obedience. She acted with unwavering trust and faith because she believed that God would fulfill the word he had spoken. Her great hymn of praise echoes the song of Hannah (see 1 Samuel 2:1-10) and proclaims the favor of the Lord: God exalts the lowly and he fills the hungry.
The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. Mary accepted her mission with uncompromising faith and obedience. She acted with unwavering trust and faith because she believed that God would fulfill the word he had spoken. Her great hymn of praise echoes the song of Hannah (see 1 Samuel 2:1-10) and proclaims the favor of the Lord: God exalts the lowly and he fills the hungry.
The Holy Spirit fills us with the joy and hope of
heaven
The Holy Spirit is ever ready to renew your faith and hope in God's promises and to make you strong in love for God and your neighbor. Do you live in the joy and confidence of God's indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is ever ready to renew your faith and hope in God's promises and to make you strong in love for God and your neighbor. Do you live in the joy and confidence of God's indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and
give me joy in seeking you more closely. Increase my faith in all your
promises, my hope in the joys of heaven, and my love for You as my All."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Christ the fruit of the faithful, by
Ambrose of Milan (339-397 A.D)
"You see that Mary did not doubt but believed and therefore obtained the fruit of faith. 'Blessed … are you who have believed.' But you also are blessed who have heard and believed. For a soul that has believed has both conceived and bears the Word of God and declares his works. Let the soul of Mary be in each of you, so that it magnifies the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each of you, so that it rejoices in God (Luke 1:46-47). She is the one mother of Christ according to the flesh, yet Christ is the Fruit of all according to faith. Every soul receives the Word of God, provided that, undefiiled and unstained by vices, it guards its purity with inviolate modesty. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.26)
"You see that Mary did not doubt but believed and therefore obtained the fruit of faith. 'Blessed … are you who have believed.' But you also are blessed who have heard and believed. For a soul that has believed has both conceived and bears the Word of God and declares his works. Let the soul of Mary be in each of you, so that it magnifies the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each of you, so that it rejoices in God (Luke 1:46-47). She is the one mother of Christ according to the flesh, yet Christ is the Fruit of all according to faith. Every soul receives the Word of God, provided that, undefiiled and unstained by vices, it guards its purity with inviolate modesty. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.26)
SOLEMNITY OF
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, LUKE 1:39-56, HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
(Revelation 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab; Psalm 45; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, LUKE 1:39-56, HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
(Revelation 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab; Psalm 45; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27)
KEY VERSE: "He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly" (v. 52).
TO KNOW: When Mary visited her kinswoman Elizabeth, the infant John leaped for joy in his mother's womb before the divine presence within Mary's womb. Similarly, King David danced in jubilation before the presence of God when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Sm 6:14). Elizabeth was overwhelmed that Mary, the mother of her Lord, should come to her. She proclaimed that Mary was "blessed among women" for trusting that the Lord's promises to her would be fulfilled (Luke 1:42, 45). In an exultant hymn of praise, Mary rejoiced in the saving promises of her Mighty God. Through Mary's son, the meek and poor would be exalted, and the proud and powerful would be cast down. Mary recognized her own lowliness before God. She was God's humble handmaid, "servant Israel" (v. 54), obedient to the Lord's command. It is our hope as Christians that one day we will be raised by God to join Mary and her son in heaven.
TO LOVE: Does Mary's assumption offer me hope in my own union with God?
TO SERVE: Mary my mother, pray for me now and at the hour of my death.
NOTE: The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is a centuries-old tradition in the Church. The Dogma of the Assumption was officially defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950 who declared that Mary was "full of grace" (Lk1:28) from the time of her conception, and was thus preserved from the consequences of sin and corruption after death (Munificentissimus Deus). As an infallible pronouncement, the Dogma of the Assumption is thus a mandatory belief for Roman Catholics. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians" [# 966]. The Feast of the Assumption is commemorated on August 15 as a holy day of obligation.
Wednesday 15
August 2018
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Apocalypse 11:19; 12:1-6, 10. Psalm 44(45):10-12, 16. 1
Corinthians 15:20-26 Luke 1:39-56.
The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold—Psalm
44(45):10-12, 16.
‘The mighty one has done great things for me.’
On this feast of the Assumption, it is fitting to reflect on
Mary’s attitude toward life. Unmarried and pregnant, she was able to praise her
God. ‘The Mighty One has done great things for me’ was her response in a
moment when it would be understandable for her to enter
crisis mode.
Of course, while we don’t know if Mary had any initial fears of
what lay ahead, she was able to maintain hope.
Today, let us ask for the grace to be given Mary’s attitude,
open to the surprising invitations of God. Mary, Mother of God, place me with
your Son.
Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
Saint of the Day for August 15
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| Detail | Ceiling of the Assumption of Mary in Santa Maria Immacolata a via Veneto, Rome | photo by Livioandronico |
The Story of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of
Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a
divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin
Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and
soul to heavenly glory.” The pope proclaimed this dogma only after a broad
consultation of bishops, theologians and laity. There were few dissenting
voices. What the pope solemnly declared was already a common belief in the
Catholic Church.
We find homilies on the Assumption going back to the sixth
century. In following centuries, the Eastern Churches held steadily to the
doctrine, but some authors in the West were hesitant. However by the 13th
century there was universal agreement. The feast was celebrated under various
names—Commemoration, Dormition, Passing, Assumption—from at least the fifth or
sixth century. Today it is celebrated as a solemnity.
Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s Assumption into
heaven. Nevertheless, Revelation 12 speaks of a woman who is caught up in the
battle between good and evil. Many see this woman as God’s people. Since Mary
best embodies the people of both Old and New Testaments, her Assumption can be
seen as an exemplification of the woman’s victory.
Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 15:20, Paul speaks of Christ’s
resurrection as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Since Mary is closely associated with all the mysteries of
Jesus’ life, it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to
believe in Mary’s share in his glorification. So close was she to Jesus on
earth, she must be with him body and soul in heaven.
Reflection
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. She 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.
LECTIO DIVINA:THE ASSUMPTION
OF OUR LADY
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
The visit of Mary to Elizabeth, Lk 1,
39-56
1. LECTIO
a) Opening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, Spirit of Wisdom, of
Science, of Intelligence, of Counsel, fill us, we pray, with the knowledge of
the Word of God, fill us with every kind of spiritual wisdom and intelligence,
so as to be able to understand it at depth. May we, under your guidance be able
to understand the Gospel of this Marian solemnity. Holy Spirit, we need you,
you, the only one who continually moulds in us the figure and the form of
Jesus. And we turn to you, Mary, Mother of Jesus and of the Church, you who
have lived the inebriating and totalising Presence of the Holy Spirit, you who
have experienced the power of his force in you, who has seen it operating in
your Son Jesus from the time when he was in the maternal womb, open our heart
and our mind, so that they may be docile to listen to the Word of God.
b) Reading of the Gospel:
Mary set out at that time and went as
quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah. She went into
Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as
Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was
filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you
are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be
honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your
greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is
she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant. Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his faithful love
-according to the promise he made to our ancestors -- of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
Mary stayed with her some three months and then went home.
And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant. Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his faithful love
-according to the promise he made to our ancestors -- of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
Mary stayed with her some three months and then went home.
c) Moments of prayerful silence:
Silence is a quality of the one who
knows how to listen to God. Try to create in yourself an atmosphere of peace
and of silent adoration. If you are capable to be in silence before God, you
will be able to listen to his breath which is Life.
2. MEDITATIO
a) Key to the Reading:
Blessed are you among women
In the first part of today’s Gospel, the
words of Elizabeth resound: “Blessed are you among women”, preceded by a
spatial movement. Mary leaves Nazareth, situated in the North of Palestine, to
go to the South, approximately fifty kilometres, to a place which tradition has
identified as the present day Ain Karem, not too far from Jerusalem. The
physical movement shows the interior sensibility of Mary, who is not closed on
herself, to contemplate, in a private and intimate way, the mystery of the
Divine Maternity which is being accomplished in her, but she is projected to
the path of charity. She moves in order to go and help her elderly cousin.
Mary’s going to Elizabeth has the added connotation ‘in haste’ which Saint
Ambrose interprets as follows: “Mary set out in haste to the hill country, not
because she did not believe the prophecy or because she was uncertain of the
announcement or doubted of the proof, but because she was pleased with the
promise and desirous to devotedly fulfil a service, with the impulse that she
received from her intimate joy… The grace of the Holy Spirit does not entail
slowness”. The reader, though, knows that the true reason of the trip is not
indicated, but can get it through information deduced from the context. The
angel had communicated to Mary the pregnancy of Elizabeth, already in the sixth
month (cfr. v. 37). Besides the fact that she remained there three months (cfr.
v. 56), just the time so that the child could be born, allows us to understand
that Mary intended to help her cousin. Mary runs, and goes where there is an
urgent need, the need for help, showing, in this way, a clear sensibility and
concrete availability.
Together with Mary, Jesus, in his
mother’s womb, moves with her. From here it is easy to deduce the
Christological value of the episode of the visit of Mary to her cousin: above
all, the attention is for Jesus. At first sight, it could seem to be a scene concentrated
on the two women, in reality, what is important for the Evangelist is the
prodigious fact present in their conceiving. Mary moving tends, in last
instance, to have the encounter between the two women.
As soon as Mary enters into the house
and greets Elizabeth, the small John leaped in her womb. According to some this
leaping is not comparable to the changing place of the foetus, which is
experienced by every pregnant woman. Luke uses a particular Greek verb which
precisely means “jumping”. Wishing to interpret the verb a bit literally, it
could be indicated with “dancing”, thus excluding a physical phenomenon only.
Someone has thought that this ‘dance’ could be considered as a form of ‘homage’
which John renders to Jesus, inaugurating, though not yet born, that attitude
of respect and of subjection which will characterize his life: “After me is
coming someone who is more powerful than me, and I am not fit to kneel down and
undo the strap of his sandals” (Mk 1, 7). One day, John himself will give
witness: “it is the bridegroom who has the bride; and yet the bridegroom’s
friend, who stands there and listens to him, is filled with joy at the
bridegroom’s voice. This is the joy that I feel and it is complete. He must
grow greater, I must grow less” (Jn 3, 29-30). Thus Saint Ambrose comments:
“Elizabeth was the first one to hear the voice, but John is first to perceive
the grace”. We find a confirmation of this interpretation in the words
themselves of Elizabeth which, repeating the same Greek verb in v. 44. which
was already employed in v. 41, says: “The child in my womb leapt for joy”.
Luke, with these particular details, has wished to evoke the prodigies which
took place in the intimacy of Nazareth. It is only now, thanks to the dialogue
with an interlocutor, the mystery of the divine maternity leaves aside its
secrecy and its individual dimension, to become a notable fact, and object of
appreciation and of praise.
The words of Elizabeth, “Blessed are you
among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Why should I be honoured
with a visit from the mother of my Lord?” (vv. 42-43). With a Semitic
expression which is equivalent to a superlative (“among women”), the Evangelist
wishes to attract the attention of the reader on the function of Mary: to be
the “Mother of the Lord”. And, then, a blessing is reserved for her (“Blessed
are you”) and a blessed Beatitude. In what does this one consist? It expresses
Mary’s adherence to the Divine Will. Mary is not only the receiver of a
mysterious design which makes her blessed, but also a person who knows how to
accept and adhere to God’s will. Mary is a creature who believes, because she
trusts in a plain, simple word and which she has vested with her “yes” of love.
And Elizabeth acknowledges this service of love, identifying her as “blessed as
mother and blessed as believer”.
In the meantime, John perceives the
presence of his Lord and exults, expressing with that interior movement the joy
which springs from that contact of salvation. Mary will be the interpreter of
that event in the hymn of the Magnificat.
b) A song of love:
In this song Mary considers herself part
of the anawim, of the “poor of God”, of those who “fear God” placing in Him all
their trust and hope and who, on the human level, do not enjoy any right or
prestige. The spirituality of the anawim can be synthesized with the words of
Psalm 37, 79: “In silence he is before God and hopes in him”, because “those
who hope in the Lord will possess the earth”.
In Psalm 86, 6 the one who prays, turning to God says: Give your servant your force”: Here the term ‘servant’ expresses his being subjected, as well as the sentiment of belonging to God, of feeling secure with him.
The poor, in the strictly Biblical sense, are those who place their trust unconditionally in God; this is why they are to be considered, qualitatively, the best part, of the People of Israel.
The proud, instead, are those who place all their trust in themselves.
Now, according to the Magnificat, the poor have a thousand reasons to rejoice, because God glorifies the anawim (Psalm 149, 4) and humbles the proud. An image taken from the New Testament, which expresses very well the attitude of the poor of the Old Testament, is that of the Publican who with humility beats his breast, while the Pharisee being complacent of his merits is being consumed by his pride (Lk 19, 9-14). Definitively, Mary celebrates all that God has done in her and all that he works in every creature. Joy and gratitude characterize this hymn to salvation which recognizes the greatness of God, but which also makes great the one who sings it.
In Psalm 86, 6 the one who prays, turning to God says: Give your servant your force”: Here the term ‘servant’ expresses his being subjected, as well as the sentiment of belonging to God, of feeling secure with him.
The poor, in the strictly Biblical sense, are those who place their trust unconditionally in God; this is why they are to be considered, qualitatively, the best part, of the People of Israel.
The proud, instead, are those who place all their trust in themselves.
Now, according to the Magnificat, the poor have a thousand reasons to rejoice, because God glorifies the anawim (Psalm 149, 4) and humbles the proud. An image taken from the New Testament, which expresses very well the attitude of the poor of the Old Testament, is that of the Publican who with humility beats his breast, while the Pharisee being complacent of his merits is being consumed by his pride (Lk 19, 9-14). Definitively, Mary celebrates all that God has done in her and all that he works in every creature. Joy and gratitude characterize this hymn to salvation which recognizes the greatness of God, but which also makes great the one who sings it.
c) Some question for meditation:
- Is my prayer, above all, the
expression of a sentiment or celebration and acknowledgement of God’s
action?
- Mary is presented as the believer in the Word of the Lord. How much time do I dedicate to listening to the Word of God?
- Is your prayer nourished from the Bible, as was that of Mary? Or rather am I dedicated to devotions which produce a continuous tasteless and dull prayer? Are you convinced that to return to Biblical prayer is the assurance to find a solid nourishment, chosen by Mary herself ?
- Are you in the logics of the Magnificat which exalts the joy of giving, of losing in order to find, of accepting, the happiness of gratuity, of donation?
- Mary is presented as the believer in the Word of the Lord. How much time do I dedicate to listening to the Word of God?
- Is your prayer nourished from the Bible, as was that of Mary? Or rather am I dedicated to devotions which produce a continuous tasteless and dull prayer? Are you convinced that to return to Biblical prayer is the assurance to find a solid nourishment, chosen by Mary herself ?
- Are you in the logics of the Magnificat which exalts the joy of giving, of losing in order to find, of accepting, the happiness of gratuity, of donation?
3. ORATIO
a) Psalm 44 (45)
The Psalm in this second part, glorifies
the Queen. In today’s Liturgy these verses are applied to Mary and celebrate
her greatness and beauty.
In your retinue are daughters of
kings,
the consort at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
the consort at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
Listen, my daughter,
attend to my words and hear;
forget your own nation
and your ancestral home,
then the king will fall in love with your beauty;
he is your lord, bow down before him.
attend to my words and hear;
forget your own nation
and your ancestral home,
then the king will fall in love with your beauty;
he is your lord, bow down before him.
Her companions are brought to her,
they enter the king's palace with joy and rejoicing.
they enter the king's palace with joy and rejoicing.
b) Final Prayer:
The prayer which follows is a brief
meditation on the maternal role of Mary in the life of the believer: “Mary,
woman who knows how to rejoice, who knows how to exult, who allows herself to
be invaded by the full consolation of the Holy Spirit, teach us to pray so that
we may also discover the source of joy. In Elizabeth’s house, your cousin,
feeling accepted and understood in your most intimate secret, you burst out in
a hymn of exultation of the heart, speaking of God, of you about your
relationship with him, and of the unprecedented adventure already begun of
being the Mother of Christ and of all of us, holy people of God. Teach us to
give our prayer a rhythm of hope and tremors of joy, sometimes worn out by
bitter whining and soaked with melancholy almost as obliged. The Gospel speaks
to us about you, Mary, and of Elizabeth: both of you kept in your heart
something, which you did not dare or you did not wish to manifest to anyone.
But each one of you, felt understood by the other, on that prophetic day of the
Visitation and you pronounced words of prayer and of feast. Your encounter
becomes Liturgy of thanksgiving and of praise to your ineffable God. You, woman
of a profound joy, you sang the Magnificat, in rapture and amazed at all that
the Lord was operating in his humble servant. Magnificat is the cry, the
explosion of joy, which explodes within each one of us, when one feels accepted
and understood”.
4. CONTEMPLATIO
The Virgin Mary, the temple of the Holy
Spirit, accepted with faith the Word and surrendered herself completely to the
power of Love. Because of this she became the Icon of interiority, that is all
recollected under the look of God and abandoned to the power of the Most High.
Mary keeps silence about herself, because everything in her can speak about the
wonders of the Lord in her life.
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