August 15 // Reflection on the Feast of the Assumption
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I write this reflection on the Gospel for the Assumption of our Blessed Mother. Mary hurried to her old cousin, Elizabeth whose Spirit-filled welcome introduces one of our favorite prayers, the Hail Mary. Two women, far apart in age are together with miraculous pregnancies!
Despite having been greatly troubled (Luke 1:29), Mary praises God! Her prayer is like ancient Hannah’s from 1 Samuel 2:1. We call Mary’s prayer the Magnificat or the Canticle of Mary and with Mary our Spirit soars as we pray it with her to this day. The beauty of her soul and ours proclaiming the greatness of God causes our hearts to well up as our Spirit too rejoices in God our savior. And yes, we acknowledge that God looks upon our lowliness too. And as Mary prays, “from now on will all ages call me blessed,” we agree, wholeheartedly: Mary is Blessed! We affirm our Blessed Mother; we know the great things God has done for her! We also know God’s mercy, probably better than Mary who, unlike us, had no need for God’s mercy, we are told. She prays that God, “dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart” while we may never see that. We do see the hungry filled with good things when we let God work through us. Let’s treat ourselves and God and our blessed Mother by praying the Magnificat often.
Deni Mack, D. Min.
Pastoral Associate
[painting: The Visitation by Karl von Blaas, c. 1850, public domain]
