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Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year

THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

(August 15)

Why is this feast so called?
Because on this day the Blessed Virgin was taken up into heaven.

Why are plants and fruits blessed on this day?
The Church does this to manifest her joy at the glorious victory
which Mary achieved over death, the world and the devil, and at her
splendid triumph when she, adorned with virtues as with so many
flowers, entered heaven; and that God may so sanctify and bless the
plants and fruits, that their use may serve to our welfare.
At the Introit of the Mass, the Church invites us to universal joy by
singing: Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a festal day in
honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whose Assumption the angels
rejoice, and give praise to the Son of God. My heart hath uttered a
good word: I speak my works to the King. (Ps. XLIV.) Glory &c.

COLLECT Pardon, Lord, we beseech Thee, the transgressions of Thy
servants: that we, who by our own deeds are unable to please Thee,
may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son our Lord.
Through the same &c.

EPISTLE (Ecclus. XXIV. 11 -- 20.) In all things I sought rest, and I
shall abide in the inheritance of the Lord. Then the creator of all
things commanded, and said to me; and he that made me rested in my
tabernacle, and said to me: Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy
inheritance in Israel, and take root in my elect. And so was I
established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my
power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honorable people, and
in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full
assembly of saints. I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a
cypress-tree on Mount Sion. I was exalted like a palm-tree in Cades,
and as a rose-plant in Jericho. As a fair olive-tree in the plains,
and as a plane-tree by the water in the streets was I exalted. I gave
a sweet smell like cinnamon and aromatic balm: I yielded a sweet odor
like the best myrrh.

EXPLANATION The Holy Ghost uses these words in praise of eternal
wisdom, but the Church applies them to Mary also, to describe the
glory and splendor of her assumption. Mary found her rest only in
God, the Creator of all things, who created her, and preserved her
from, original sin, and lived in her womb as in a tabernacle. On this
day God seems to say to her: "Possess the abode destined for thee from
all eternity, and the inheritance designed for thee as the first of
the elect."Thus Mary is exalted as Queen of the saints and angels in
the heavenly Sion; and now in this holy city, she enjoys an
undisturbed peace with God, shares His happiness with Him, and is
second only to Him in power and glory; there she shines in the most
radiant garments, like the ever-blooming rose of Jericho, from there
she lets flow upon the wretched children of Adam the oil of her mercy
as from a fair olive-tree, shades them with her protection like a
plane-tree, and refreshes them with the sweet fragrance of her virtue
and grace.

GOSPEL (Luke x. 38--42.) AT THAT TIME, Jesus entered into a certain
town: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house:
and she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord's feet
heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving: who stood and
said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to
serve? Speak to her, therefore, that she help me. And the Lord
answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art
troubled about many things. But, one thing is necessary. Mary hath
chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Why does the Church cause this gospel to be read today?
Because it can be well applied to Mary, who more worthily and
tenderly even than Martha, received, nourished and served the Son of
God, and more fervently and attentively than even Martha's sister,
listened to His words, preserved them in her heart and sought to
fulfil them. In both ways has she chosen the best of all parts,
because in both she walked in perfection, and so gained the greatest
of rewards which can never be taken from her.

What may we learn from these two sisters?
That like Martha, who is a type of active, stirring life, we should
be energetic in performing the duties of our vocation, but not on
that account forget to practice good works, to do all for the love of
God, seeking in all things His pleasure, and, since we can no longer
administer to Christ in a material way, we should serve the poor, of
whom He says that whatever we do to the least of them, He will
consider and reward as if done to Himself. We are also like Mary who
represents the contemplative life, to be fervent in prayer, in
listening and meditating upon the word of God, upon the divine
Majesty, its perfections and our frailty, thus to sanctify ourselves
and to become more worthy of eternal happiness. This contemplative
life Christ calls the better part, but does not, therefore, set aside
the active life. We can easily unite both, but must never lose sight
of the better part.

Why does Jesus reproach Martha?
Because she was uneasy and distracted by her over-carefulness and
anxiety, and forgot to hear the divine word. -- Thus do many
Christians who find no time to work for the salvation of their soul,
and even during divine service and the sermon are thinking of their
domestic affairs, and so leave the church without having gained
anything for their soul.

What is the one thing necessary?
To seek the glory of God and the salvation of our soul. He who
attends to this; attends to all his duties, he is busy and active,
but not uneasy and disturbed, and calmly directs his mind to God in
all his labors, offers his every step to Him, and draws His grace
upon himself.

PETITION. Would that I had better attended to the one thing
necessary! Unhappy hours which I have squandered for the world, its
vanities and pleasures! Where are you now? What shall I have from you
in eternity but sorrow and desolation? Could I but call back my wasted
life? But since that cannot be, give me Thy grace, I beseech Thee, O
most beneficent God, to pass the remaining years of my life wholly in
Thy service, and work above all and only for the affairs of my soul.

THOUGHTS OF ST. BERNARD ON THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY

On this day the glorified Virgin entered heaven and crowned by her
presence the holy pleasures of its inhabitants. But what mind can
conceive the glory with which the arrival of the Queen of the world
was celebrated by the brilliant heavenly hosts, their advance to
greet her, their chanting as they led her to the magnificent throne?
Who can fancy the tender gaze, the loving countenance, the divine
caresses with which she was received by her Son and placed over all
created beings, honored as became such a mother, with the glory that
became such a Son? What lips can describe the assumption of Mary? As
upon earth she, before all others, received special grace, so in
heaven she, before all others, receives special glory. If eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to
know the delights that God has prepared for those that love Him, who
shall say what is prepared for her who bore Him and loved Him more
than all! O blessed art thou, Mary! Most blessed wert thou, when thou
didst receive the Saviour; most blessed art thou, when the Saviour
receives thee!

ST. BERNARD'S PRAYER TO MARY

We accompany thee, on this day, with our most ardent wishes to thy
Son, O glorious Virgin, Queen of heaven! and follow thee from afar, O
happy Virgin! Give thy mildness to the world, give of the grace thou
hast found with God. Obtain by thy blessed intercession, grace for
the guilty, recovery for the sick, strength for the faint-hearted,
aid for those in peril! Dispense to us thy servants, who on this
glorious festival-day invoke thy sweetest name, O gentlest Queen, the
grace of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord and God, to whom be glory
forever. Amen.

From The Church's Year online:
http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/The_Church_Year/Assumption.htm

--
Sincerely in Christ,
Our Lady of the Rosary Library
"Pray and work for souls"
http://olrl.org.


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