The celebration of the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven is a celebration of hope. We pray that the gift Mary received of being raised from the dead and into eternal life in heaven will be ours also. This is a sign of hope for us — that where she goes, we hope to go as well. What else does the Feast of the Assumption teach us?
The Assumption is all about the fulfillment of God’s promises that life in heaven is the ultimate goal of all Christians. Mary becomes the first to receive this gift just as she leads the way for us in most, if not all, aspects of the Christian life. In this way the Feast of the Assumption also indicates the deep honor in which the Catholic Church holds Mary. However, we must remember that devotion to Mary or any of the saints is not enough for one’s conversion.
Conversion and holiness are the result of the decisions we make and the actions that these decisions lead to. Jesus constantly reminds us of this fact in the Gospels where He tells us that it is not those who cry out “Lord! Lord!” who will enter the Kingdom of God, but those who do the will of His Father in heaven. In one of the occasions where He says this, Mary is present and Jesus uses her as an example in affirming that His real mothers (brothers and sisters) are those who follow the will of God, not just those who are related to Him by blood.
The challenge of discerning the will of God for our lives remains with us until we die. We cannot allow its difficulty to discourage us. We should simply redouble our efforts in seeking God’s will and then responding to it. If we are earnest in our search for God’s will, it will not take too long to discover it. God is not trying to hide His will from us!
Reflection Question:
Do I already know what is God’s will for my life? Am I responding to it in faith every day?
Holy Spirit, help me to come to know what God’s will is so that I can do my best to be obedient to it each and every day of my life.
