Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Luke 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.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the giver of all good things! Open my eyes to see your blessings and to glorify you with my rejoicing.
Encountering Christ:
- Rejoice: The Gospel invites us to contemplate this encounter between two holy women, marvel at their response to one another, and enter into their joy. The scene before us is full of life and energy. Mary “hurries.” With what joyful anticipation did she travel to meet and serve Elizabeth! Mary “enters” and “greets” her cousin. She went out to encounter Elizabeth intentionally. In a loud voice Elizabeth “exclaimed”: The Good News did not remain hidden, but was seen and proclaimed to everyone within earshot. She was full of exuberance. Far from being superficial and vivacious females chattering, the two women discovered a treasure in the other. Both were moved interiorly to rejoice and praise the Lord. Elizabeth and Mary embody the beauty of women who open themselves to the fruitfulness of the Holy Spirit, recognizing, welcoming and proclaiming the presence of the Messiah in the world. Let us ask for the grace to encounter the beauty and the Spirit of God present within others.
- “My Soul Glorifies the Lord”: Imagine the interior elation of Mary as she poured forth her Magnificat! She was fully aware that the joy she experienced came from the Lord and that he had performed marvels within her, fulfilling what had been promised for generations. The object of her exultation was not herself and how blessed she was because of her pregnancy. She was genuinely moved by the gratuitousness of the Lord God her Savior. What is the object of our own rejoicing?
- A Litany of God’s Attributes: When we read and ponder slowly each of the phrases of Mary’s Magnificat, we see that Mary attributes to the Lord these qualities: holiness, mercifulness, might, justice, and faithfulness to his promises. Is this how we have experienced the Lord? Perhaps we could write our own “Magnificat,” rejoicing and praising the Lord for the wonders he has worked in us!
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me true wisdom to see your hand in all historical and personal events and rejoice that you are the Savior of the world. Let me not hide my joy or gratitude to you, but find ways to genuinely proclaim it by the way I encounter others.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will not be silent about the marvelous blessings you have bestowed on me.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala and “Nine Days with Mary Magdalene.”
