HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY. (2)

HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY.

THEME: The Almighty has done great things for me.

BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA.

*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Apo 11:19,12:1-6,10
Psalm 44:10-12,16
1 Corinthians 15:20-26
Luke 1:39-56

*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
WHITE

*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we commemorate the great moment when Mary, was assumed and taken in body and soul, in her whole being into the glory of Heaven. This event marked the end of Mary’s presence in this world, Therefore, Mary’s Assumption into Heaven affirmed the hope we have, in the promises of salvation and eternal life which the Lord had given to all of us.

*IS THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY RELATED TO THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST?*
Assumption means, “To be taken up” body and soul to heaven. It is not Ascension, like Jesus, done by His own power, but Assumption done by the power of God. It is something God did for her, not something she did for herself. It is a gift of God as a result of Christ’s redemptive power applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary. the dogma says, “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection.” The Assumption was God’s way of finishing the job he started at Mary’s Immaculate Conception, redeeming her body from the effects of sin as well.

*WHY MARY OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE COMPANY OF JESUS?*
But why is Mary? Is the question many will ask, It is because she was the Mother of Jesus and Jesus did what you and I would have done with our mothers if we would have the power: Jesus did not allow the hands that cared for His to be corrupted and the heart that loved Him so much…. If He did it to Enoch and Elijah, in the Old Testament, why is not to His Mother?

*DID MARY DIE LIKE ANY OTHER PERSON?*
The Blessed Mother died like Jesus but her body was never corrupted, was taken up to heaven and for this reason there are no relics of her body. The dogma doesn’t say she never died. At the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), when bishops from Mediterranean world gathered in Constantinople, Emperor Marcian asked the Patriarch of Jerusalem to bring the relics of Mary to Constantinople to be enshrined in the capitol. The patriarch explained to the emperor that there were no relics of Mary in Jerusalem that, “Mary had died in the presence of the apostles; but her tomb, when opened later…. was found empty and so the apostles concluded that the body was taken up into heaven.

*CONCLUSION*
As we celebrate this great Feast and as Catholics, we must believe in faith that Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul even if we cannot understand it. And if we don’t like to believe that Mary was assumed into heaven, then that is tantamount to saying that we are no longer Catholics. The Church simply teaches us that, the end of the earthly life of this woman, she was assumed immediately into heaven, body and soul and united with God. The Assumption is in conclusion, a reminder for us that, we too, shall rise from the dead on the last day. Another one is as a mother.
Happy Feast of the Assumption to everyone, may the Blessed Virgin Mary interceed for us sinners.

Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA.

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