Deacon Tom Writes,
“A Place Prepared By God”
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Year B
As we celebrate the joyful occasion of Mary’s Assumption into heaven, what is referred to as the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Eastern Orthodox Church, our first reading depicts anything but a festive occasion. The image there is frightful; a dragon waits to devour her newborn infant. How diabolical! But God has other plans; the woman escapes to a safe place that God has prepared for her.
We focus our attention today on the life of Mary. Her humble spirit and her willingness to embrace and do God’s Will makes her a model for us to follow. You would think that God would have given the Mother of his Son an easy path to walk in this life, wouldn’t you? But with the slightest bit of reflection we know that is not the case. The ridicule and tongue wagging that she must have had to endure as she carried the Son of God in her womb; how she trusted that God would touch Joseph’s heart so that he would know that Almighty God was the real Father of her child. What courage it took for both Mary and Joseph to flee their homeland for fear that King Herod would harm the babe. An incredible story, unbelievable really, except through the eyes of faith. Through the eyes of faith we come to know that Mary’s faith and trust in God never failed and he will never fail us either!
I had the good fortune to visit the Holy Land and during my visit I was able to walk on the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. You may recall that the Fourth Station is, “Jesus Meets His Mother”. As I looked around and saw the narrow street, the hustle and bustle of the crowd, my senses were on overload as I realized that I was standing somewhere near where this event took place. I realized more than ever before the reality that God did not spare his own mother this most painful and sorrowful experience that any of us can ever have in this life – seeing our loved ones suffer. No, Mary was not placed on the yellow brick road of life. Yet no matter the sorrows and sufferings she endured, she remained faithful. And that is why she is the most fitting and perfect role model that we can ever imitate in this life. And that is why, when the course of her earthly life had come to an end, God raised her body and soul into heaven glory (Assumption) to be welcomed into a very special place prepared by God, a place close to her Son where there is room for all who remain faithful to him through all life’s challenges, worries, and sufferings.
Enjoy the Day!
Deacon Tom
Image credit: The Death of the Virgin - Painting by Bartolomeo Vivarini: wikidata.org
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