Today is The Solemnity of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary. What does the Bible tell us about Mary? Today’s reading is from Luke, 1:39-56. Excerpts follow:
“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 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.'”
(In this passage, The Bible clearly states that The Holy Spirit is telling Elizabeth to proclaim the words of the Rosary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” It is not that Catholics are excessive in their praise of Mary, but that non-Catholics don’t let themselves think enough about what that passage means. It is not Elizabeth speaking, but God Who is speaking through her! Non-Catholics, wake up! Those who make excuses to avoid the fulness of meaning in the passage, limit their closeness to God. They choose not to have His Mother as their intercessor. The only reason to live without that? Our vanity overwhelms our need to be nearer to Him.)
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.”
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:
(“All generations will call me blessed” has a scary meaning. Those who do not, for reasons of their own vanity, call her “blessed” are not numbered among the gene rations that God recognizes. In the most literal meaning of the phrase, “For Heaven’s sake!”, play it safe! Revere Mary!)
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.”
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.
Think of how the Reading shows that God, in all Three Persons of The Trinity, loved Mary. You, I, and every person on earth should read, reread, and consider the passages until we more fully share His love for Her. If God is our Father, Jesus is our brother. Therefore, Mary is our Mother. Without her, He could not have come to save us.
Non-Catholics, wake up! Love your mother!
