Feast of the Assumption
1. Today we celebrate the Feast of Mary’s bodily Assumption into heaven, the belief and practice of a faith community that goes all the way back to the fourth century. Christian tradition honours this without exception.
It became a dogma of our faith on 1 November 1950 when Pope Pius XII declared it as such. At the time of the proclamation, Dr Karl Jung, the famous Swiss psychologist, approved the action, commenting that the declaration was most appropriate following on the devastation of two world wars in which human dignity and hope lay disfigured and shattered. We needed an image of hope for all of us; we needed an image that affirmed the dignity and ultimate destiny of humanity.
Today we are no less engaged in a struggle for human dignity and hope. Television and newspapers lay it out before us day after day -- innocent lives taken or broken by the violence that shelters within deranged human hearts.
How can our belief in Mary’s bodily Assumption into heaven help us?
2. May I respectfully submit that Mary’s bodily Assumption is not simply a celebration for humanity but a celebration for the whole universe, the entire cosmos. It symbolises the ultimate affirmation and completion of God’s creation. It is a day we yearn for and hope for.
Our vision, even the vision of our faith, can be so easily clouded or reduced in its scope and hope. This feast gives us something to hope for that is expansive; and it is this element of hope that I want to highlight.
Speaking of our spiritual life, we know how central and truly foundational are the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. But how often do we hear about hope? As some wise commentator has noted, hope often get squeezed out by its two more famous sisters, Faith and Charity. Isn’t that so?
When did we last make an act of hope? In truth, our very presence here is our act of hope.
Where would we be without Hope?
Yesterday’s SUNDAY MAIL told us that as many Diggers as were killed during our 13-year deployment in Afghanistan (41) have taken their own lives at home in the past year alone. Young fathers, young men suffering from the trauma of war where human dignity is so easily trashed. The after-effects are so troubling and devastating to the human spirit. Imagine the effects upon their families!
How to get our returned soldiers in touch with the healing effects of hope?
A couple of days ago, I came across this poem by Emily Dickinson called 'Hope' is the thing with feathers:
'Hope' is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—
I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
Where would we be without Hope?
'Hope' is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words— And never stops—at all—
*****
3. In today’s Gospel reading, Mary highlights for us the hope of her people and the source of their hope.
Hope is a theological virtue because the source of our hope is simply the Faithfulness of God.
It is there in her Magnificat.
This young pregnant woman proclaims an assured hope - - gently, yet firmly, gratefully, and assuredly.
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. . . .
He has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever” (Lk. 1:55).
This hope sustained her throughout her life as the mother of our Saviour. It sustained her under the cross at Calvary. It was proven true in the wonder of the Resurrection.
Here, this morning, we are happy and fortunate to celebrate Mary’s Assumption with a lively faith and with a hope that assures us that God is faithful.
In a memorable passage, Teilhard de Chardin prophecies:
“The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And, on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”
Such is the hope within our faith!
4. In conclusion let me say, this feast reaches out in hope to the limits of the universe and into every corner and cranny of creation.
Mary proclaims for us an assured hope - - gently, firmly, gratefully,
That hope of ours, as expressed by this young Jewish woman, Mary, is embodied in our belief in the bodily assumption of Mary into heaven.
Frank Gerry SVD