Wednesday, August 15, 2018
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY
Hebrews, Chapter 12, Verse 21
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses
said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
Moses was the heir apparent to the throne of Egypt in
his youth. As a member of the Egyptian court he would have seen many fearful spectacles yet imagine what it
must have been like to have been a witness of God descending on Mount Sinai to
give the law. He was terrified and trembling. Again, now imagine if Moses was
somehow resurrected and was able to walk into an ordinary catholic church that
has a very modest Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Do you think his reaction would be
any different than the first time he encountered the living God?
On
the evening of October 1995, John Paul II was scheduled to greet the
seminarians at Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. It had been a very full day
that began with a Mass at Oriole Park in Camden Yards, a parade through
downtown streets, a visit to the Basilica of the Assumption, the first
cathedral in the country, lunch at a local soup kitchen run by Catholic
Charities; a prayer service at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in North
Baltimore; and finally a quick stop at Saint Mary’s Seminary. The schedule was
tight, so the plan was simply to greet the seminarians while they stood outside
on the steps. But the Pope made his way through their ranks and into the
building. His plan was to first make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. When his
wishes were made known, security flew into action. They swept the building
paying close attention to the chapel where the Pope would be praying. For this
purpose, highly, trained dogs were used to detect any person who might be
present. The dogs are trained to locate survivors in collapsed buildings after
earthquakes and other disasters. These highly intelligent and eager dogs
quickly went through the halls, offices and classrooms and were then sent to
the chapel. They went up and down the aisle, past the pews and finally into the
side chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Upon reaching the
tabernacle, the dogs sniffed, whined, pointed, and refused to leave, their
attention riveted on the tabernacle, until called by their handlers. They were
convinced that they discovered someone there. We Catholics know they were right
— they found a real, living Person in the tabernacle!
He has mercy on those who fear him in every
generation.
The National 54 Day Rosary Novena goes
from the Feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15) to the Feast of Our Lady of the
Rosary (Oct. 7), which commemorates the Holy League victory at the Battle of
Lepanto.[3]
Assumption
of Mary Facts
·
The
Assumption of Mary isn't in the Bible. The theology it is based upon is
from several early church documents and sermons. The Orthodox Church
continued the tradition, but it didn't become doctrine in the Roman Catholic
Church until 1950 when Pope Pius XII declared the belief infallible.
·
Thomas
was the only disciple who purportedly saw Mary's ascension into heaven.
In a reversal of his story in scripture, the other disciples didn't
believe him at first. Mary dropped her girdle when she reached heaven,
and Thomas caught it.
·
The
Feast of the Assumption of Mary is a high feast Day in the Roman Catholic
Church and the Orthodox Church. The day venerates the assumption into
heaven of Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is held on August 15. In
the Orthodox tradition, the feast, called the Dormition of the Theotokos, is
held the same date, although the day may be later for churches that follow the
Gregorian calendar.
·
Mary,
Mother of God, pray for us sinners, and guide us on the way that leads to
Heaven. - Pope Francis on the Feast of the Assumption via twitter on Aug 15,
2013.
Assumption
of Mary Top Events and Things to Do
·
Attend
an Orthodox Church during the Feast of the Assumption to see the blessing of
flowers.
·
Historically,
both flowers and herbs are brought to church as offerings or to be blessed
during the Feast of the Assumption.
·
The
Assumption of Mary is a popular subject in Christian art. One of the most
famous is The Assumption of the Virgin, by El Greco and available for viewing
in the Art Institute of Chicago. See if your local art museum has
paintings of the Assumption.
·
Sing
or Listen to a rendition of "Ave Maria". One of the more
popular renditions is by Luciano Pavarotti.
·
Many
faithful in the Orthodox Church will also be breaking a two-week fast after the
service honoring the Assumption of Mary. If you are fasting attend a
community meal offered by many Orthodox Churches.
Most likely the oldest and certainly the highest annual feast day of Mary, the Feast of the Assumption is held in both east and west as a day of great solemnity. Processions would wind their way either through cities and towns in order to publicly honor Mary or through fields in order to pray for God's blessing upon the harvest. Marian hymns would be sung, and statues of the Blessed Virgin carried. In some places there would even be a dramatic representation of the mystery of the assumption. The statue of Mary would be carried through town to an elaborate arch of flowers symbolizing the gate of Heaven. From here another statue, a statue of Christ, would greet "her" and conduct her to the church as a symbol of her entrance into eternal glory. The procession would then conclude with Benediction.
Our Lady’s 30 Days[5]
In pre-Christian times the season from the middle of August to the middle of September was observed as a period of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the successful harvest of grains. Many symbolic rites were aimed toward assuring man of prosperous weather for the reaping of the fall fruits and for winter planting. Some elements of these ancient cults are now connected with the feast and season of the Assumption. All through the Middle Ages the days from August 15 to September 15 were called "Our Lady's Thirty Days" (Frauendreissiger) in the German-speaking sections of Europe. Many Assumption shrines even today show Mary clothed in a robe covered with ears of grain. These images (Maria im Gerteidekleid, Our Lady of Grains) are favored goals of pilgrimages during August. Popular legends ascribe a character of blessing and goodness to Our Lady's Thirty Days. Both animals and plants are said to lose their harmful traits. Poisonous snakes do not strike, poison plants are harmless, wild animals refrain from attacking humans. All food produced during this period is especially wholesome and good and will remain fresh much longer than at other times of the year. The fact that herbs picked in August were considered of great power in healing occasioned the medieval practice of the "Blessing of Herbs" on Assumption Day. The Church thus elevated a popular belief of pre-Christian times into an observance of religious import and gave it the character of a Christian rite of deep and appropriate meaning. In central Europe the feast itself was called "Our Lady's Herb Day" (Kräutertag in German, Matka Boska Zielna in Polish). In the Alpine provinces the blessing of herbs is still bestowed before the solemn service of the Assumption. The city of Wurzburg in Bavaria used to be a favored center of these blessings, and from this fact it seems to have received its very name in the twelfth century (Würz: spice herb). The Roman Ritual still provides an official blessing of herbs on Assumption Day which, among other prayers, contains the petition that God may bless the medicinal powers of these herbs and make them mercifully efficient against diseases and poisons in humans and domestic animals. The Eastern Rites have similar blessings. In fact, the Syrians celebrate a special feast of "Our Lady of Herbs" on May 15. Among the Armenians, the faithful bring the first grapes from their vineyards to church on Assumption Day to have them solemnly blessed by the priest. Before breakfast the father distributes them to his family. No one would dream of tasting the new harvest before consuming the first blessed grapes on Our Lady's Day.
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
40. When judging other people, why do you put into your criticism the
bitterness of your own failures?
·
Please
Pray for Senator
McCain and our country; asking Our Lady of Beauraing to
intercede.
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