The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven | iPray with the Gospel
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts … he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.“
Luke 1:39-56
Indeed God has done “great things” for you, Most Beautiful Mother! He has given you what He never gave anyone else. You are the Humble Woman who can humiliate the mighty Lucifer, the rebel angel. Such a powerful angel as he was created and now, poor thing, he trembles at the mere sound of your Name. You are the Humble Handmaid of the Lord now, together with your Son and like Him, with your body and soul in Heaven.
A lady was dying in the East End of London. Over her bed there hung a beautiful picture of Our Lady. The young doctor attending to her wasn’t Christian. With no intended malice, just out of simple ignorance, he asked: ‘Well, madam, who is the film star over the bed?’ ‘Film star?’ she said. ‘That’s the Virgin Mother’. ’Virgin and Mother?’ repeated the doctor, perplexed. ‘Why, there never was such a Mother!’ ‘Ah, doctor,’ she replied, ‘there never was such a Son!’ That’s why God did ‘great things for her.’ She had to be the Mother of God and that’s ‘quite something’. And if she is good enough for Jesus… she is good enough for us.
We look at you today, our Mother, enthroned beside your Son, surrounded by all the angels and saints who are dazzled by your beauty. There you are in Heaven, body and soul, to help your children. I imagine you looking at me: What child of yours would not go to you for help? What would you not do for your children? There was a representation of the Passion of Jesus in a little town. The character of Judas, after his betrayal, was reciting his role: ‘Where can I go? Everything is lost now!’ A little girl exclaimed in a loud voice from the back: ‘Fool! Fool! Go to Mary!’ Let’s not be fools. Let’s go to Mary.
Rev. George Boronat
Rev. George Boronat M.D. S.T.D is a Catholic priest from the Prelature of Opus Dei, working in the Archdiocese of Southwark in London. He is the Chaplain of The Cedars Independent School in Croydon, and also works as Chaplain of Kelston Club & Study Centre (Balham) and Oakwood Independent School (Purley). He has developed his pastoral ministry mainly with young people and is the author of iPray with the Gospel: Resources to Help Young People Pray.
