15/08/2010 - Assumption of the Bld.V. Mary
1Reading Rev 11,19a;12,1-6a.10ab Psalm 44 2Reading 1Cor 15,20-26 Gospel Lk 1,39-56
"The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be
seen inside it". Today, these words want to introduce us to embrace the revelation
that God wants to give us. The "sanctuary which is in heaven" is the final
goal, not simply a sign or prophecy as the temple of Jerusalem. It's the sanctuary
where God himself abides, where he is personally present and not only by a symbol.
Now this temple is opened: from the moment Jesus gave his Spirit from upon the cross,
the entrance is not only reserved for the son-priests of Aaron, but all can enter.
All can see "the Ark of his covenant" and be sure of the love of God for
his people and for every person in the world. The ark of the covenant is not anymore
a wooden case, gilded that beholds some records of God's intervention on behalf
of his people, but "a woman clothed with the sun", who bears in herself
the presence of the God made flesh, "a male son, destined to govern all the
nations with a scepter of iron".
In this woman the Church contemplates the Virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord. Already
Elisabeth had greeted her with the same words David had welcomed in his city the
ark of the covenant: "and how is it that the mother of my Lord would come to
me?". There is no problem for us to love her as the one who presents us and
who gives us not only the signs of God's love, but God himself: the Son that she
is about to give birth and defends from the red dragon, terrible and fascinating
at the same time, is the fullness of the merciful love of God to us and to the whole
of humanity. All our love and all our obedience go to him, to Jesus, but we cannot
leave behind and not manifest a love to the one who gave him to us and who loved
him first. From her we receive an example, we receive encouragement and a help to
get closer to him.
When we look at Mary we see in her a mother, a sweet and careful mother. We venerate
her and we look up to her as our mother: she is so because she was and is his mother.
Looking up to Mary we see how much more we need to go in our discipleship. She encourages
us with her smile, and as a true mother, she is able to tell us: "I don't like
what you do"; this is what a holy man of the Russian Church tells us, who use
to search pleasure in girls and enjoy himself with his friends.
It's to Mary's heart that our heart remain like an open door for her Son, that our
ears are open for his Word, that our mind won't forget his teachings, that our will
is strong to do his will. Mary is not the one who is saying to all: "good",
"its okay", "keep doing it". Don't look for Mary to bless what
you do, if what you do cannot be blessed by the Lord, because she won't bless it.
She always blesses us so that we continue to turn to Jesus and be changed in him.
He is the source of joy.
He started to spread joy when he was still in the womb: Elisabeth's son rejoiced
and jumped up with joy at the moment of the meeting, even though he was hidden in
the womb of his mother. In her song of praise, she sings the great doings of God,
that judge the works of men: the proud, the powerful and the rich shall make room
for the humble, the poor, and the hungry. This is the mercy of God, a mercy that
covers all generations in history. God wants to protect the rich and the powerful
from that enemy that makes them oppressors of the little ones, that pride which
is of Satan. Mary knows humility, and because she is humble she can see clearly
God's will, love it and help us to search for it, love it by doing it.
Today we venerate the Blessed Mary in the Glory of God. She is one of us, but having
listened to the Word of the Father and lived it, in her all the love God want to
shower on all humanity, shines. We rejoice with her and for her, enjoying her obedience,
we continue to listen to her intimate counsels as a mother who wants our eternal
salvation.
All powerful and every living God, you raised the sinless Virgin Mary, mother of
your son, body and soul to the glory of heaven. May we see heaven as our final goal
and come to share her glory.