Aug 15, 2010: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Yesterday, Fr. Bob Konopa, OFM, a Franciscan priest serving our parish while our pastor is on his sabbatical, gave a powerful mission. He was a late vocation like myself who worked in an accounting department. He reflected on an incident where he was asked to give graduation speech at his seminary. He said to the school official who was making the request, “Who am I? I'm just an accountant.” Reflecting on what rolled out of his mouth, he said to those gathered at the mission, “I thought I was being humble for saying that. But really, I said that because I didn't know who I was in God's eyes.”

When we look at what happened to Blessed Mother visiting her cousin Elizabeth in today's gospel, we see a different reaction. Both Elizabeth and Blessed Mother accepted conceptions under astonishing circumstances and were blessed to see the holiness within. They were not fearful, they were not filled with self-doubt, and they did not protest the circumstances of the situation. They embraced the new life within and they knew each were blessed. They were faithful and obedient to God and Blessed Mother prayed that His presence would transform the world and reverse the impact of evil. Blessed Mother has never asked for honor, praise, or glory; I wonder if she would even have asked for feast days in her honor, if she had her choice. Blessed Mother has only asked that her children do whatever her Son asks of them. When Elizabeth honored her saying, “Blessed are you among women,” she turned instead all the honor back to God. She 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.” She who was crowned with stars with moon under her feet and clothed with the sun and who was at the center of the struggle between good and evil was still protected by God and depended on Him for her and her child's safety.

Once we realize that we are destined like Blessed Mother to the glory that God desires to clothe us with, the only posture that we can take is what she proclaimed for all generation to hear: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.”