The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Justin Haggerty | The Daily Knight

“Almighty everlasting God, who hast taken body and soul into heaven the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy Son: grant, we beseech Thee, that by steadfastly keeping heaven as our goal we may be counted worthy to join her in glory. Through the same our Lord.” (Collects, Roman Catholic Daily Missal, 1962)

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15th

“Mary was cared for by St John (the Apostle) for twelve years after our Lord's Resurrection. Her life was spent in helping the Apostles and in praying for the conversion of the world. On the third day after Mary's death, when the Apostles gathered around her tomb, they found it empty. The sacred body had been carried up to the celestial paradise. Jesus himself came to conduct her thither; the whole court of heaven came to welcome with songs of triumph the Mother of the Divine World.” (Roman Catholic Daily Missal, 1962, p. 1361)

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Apoc. 12:1)

“The Lord hath blessed thee by His power, because by thee He hath brought our enemies to nought. Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth. Blessed be the Lord who made heaven and earth, who hath directed thee to the cutting off the head of the prince of our enemies. Because He hath so magnified thy name this day that thy praises shall not depart out of the mouth of the power of the Lord, forever: for that thou hast not spared thy life, by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy people; but has prevented or ruin in the presence of our God. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honor of our people.” (Jud. 13:22-25; 15:10)

“The Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin espouse to a man whose name was Joseph, at the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” (Lk. 1:26-28)

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore Beatae Mariae Virginis de cujus assumption gaudent angeli. (Roman Catholic Daily Missal, 1962, p. 1360)

“Today the glorious, ever-virgin Mary ascends to heaven. I urge you to rejoice, for, if I may so put it, she has been raised up in an ineffable way to be with Christ who reigns forever. The Queen of the world is today taken from the earth and from this present evil time. I say again: rejoice, because she who is sure of her imperishable glory has reached the palace of heaven.

Exult, I say, and rejoice, and let the whole world rejoice, because this day Salvation has drawn nearer for us all…

“Hail, Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with you; Blessed art thou among women.” It was fitting that the Virgin should be given such gifts and be full of grace, since she has bestowed glory on heaven and has brought God and peace to the earth, faith to pagans, an end to vice, order to life, and disciple to morals.

And it was right that an Angel be sent to the Virgin, because virginity always means kinship with the angels... “Rejoice,” the Angel says, “for thou art full of grace.” Yes, full! for while a share of grace was given to others, the undiminished fullness of grace was poured into Mary.” ( from a letter from Paschasius Radbert, abbot; Cogitis me 20-23, 26-28: PL 30, 122-42)

“Believe what we say about the Virgin and do not hesitate to confess her to be both servant and Mother of God, both virgin and mother. She is a servant as the creature of Him who was born of her; She is the Mother of God inasmuch of her God was born in human flesh. She is a virgin because she did not conceive from the seed of man; she is a mother because she gave birth and became the mother of Him who before all eternity was begotten of the father... She is therefore the mother of the Lord of angels and our mother; From her the Son of God received the human body in which He consented to be crucified. Do you desire to know how far the Virgin surpasses the powers of heaven? Give me your attention then. They veil their faces as they hover in fear and trembling, but she offers the human race to God, and through her we receive the forgiveness of our sins. She bore Him whom the angels glorified when they came with reverence to be present at His birth. “Glory to God in the highest, they sang, and peace to his people on earth.” (From a homily by St. John Chrysostom, bishop; Orientatia Christiana, vol. 32 [1966])

“What a marvelous woman, to be the mother of her own Creator! What an amazing distinction for a woman, to have a Son in common with God. The Father loves his Son; The mother rejoices in her Son. The Father tells his Son: from the womb, before the morning star, I begot you; The Mother says to her Son: from the womb, I, a virgin, brought you into the world.

She is amazed at her own glory, nor can she herself understand her elevation, for by the very fact of being made mother of the Creator she became with He best right mistress and queen of all creation. Truly, Mary, “He who is powerful did great things” for you; truly because He made you his own mother, all “the generations” of the ages “will call you blessed.” (From a sermon by St. Thomas of Villanova, bishop; Sermon on the birth of Mary II, 7-9)

“Mary, Mother of God, we salute you. Precious vessel, worthy of the whole world's reverence, you are an ever-shining light, the crown of virginity, the symbol of orthodoxy, an indestructible temple, the place that held Him no place can contain, mother and virgin. Because of you the holy gospel could say: “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

We salute you, for in your holy womb He, who is beyond all limitation, was confined. Because of you the Holy Trinity is glorified an adored; the cross is called precious and is venerated throughout the world; the heavens exult; the angels and archangels make merry; demons are put to flight; the devil, that tempter, is thrust down from heaven; the fallen race of man is taken up on high; all creatures possessed by the madness of idolatry have attained knowledge of the truth; believers receive holy baptism; the oil of gladness is poured out; the church is established throughout the world; pagans are brought to repentance.

What more is there to say? Because of you the light of the only-begotten Son of God has shown upon those who sat in the darkness and in the the shadow of death; prophets pronounce the word of God; the apostles preached salvation to the Gentiles; The dead are raised to life, and kings rule by the power of the Holy Trinity.” (From a homily delivered at the Council of Ephesus by St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop: Hom. 4: pg. 77, 991. 995-996)

“Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night -everything that is subject to the power or use of man- rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for human beings or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of human beings who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life an rejoices that it is controlled and given splendor by those who believe in God.

The universe rejoices with knew an indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb.

Through the fullness of the grace that has given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new. Through the Son who was the glorious fruit of your virgin womb, just souls who died before His life-given death rejoice as they are freed from captivity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered doman.

Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation received new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator Himself has been blessed by creation.

To Mary God gave His only-begotten Son, whom He loved as Himself. Through Mary God made Himself a Son, not different but the same, but nature Son of God and son of Mary. The whole universe was created by God, and God was born of Mary. God created all things, and Mary gave birth to God. The God who made all things gave Himself form through Mary, and thus He made His own creation. He who could create all things from nothing would not remake His ruined creation without Mary.

God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through Whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to Him as to Savior of the world. Without God's Son, nothing could exist; Without Mary's Son nothing could be redeemed.

Truly the Lord is with you, to whom the Lord rented that all nature should owe as much to you as to himself.” (From a sermon by St. Anselm, bishop, Oratio 52: PL 158, 955-956)

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” What joy could surpass this, O Virgin Mary? What grace can excel that which God has granted to you alone? What could be imagined more dazzling or more delightful? Before the miracle we witness in you, all else pale; all else is inferior when compared with the grace you have been given. All else, even what is most desirable, must take second place and enjoy a lesser importance... “The Lord is with you.” who would dare challenge you? You are God's mother; Who would not immediately defer to you and be glad to accord you a greater primacy and honor? For this reason, when I look upon the privilege you have above all creature, I extol you with the highest praise: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” On your account joy has not only graced men, but is also granted to the powers of heaven.” (From a sermon by St. Sophronius, bishop, Oratio 2, in sanctissimae Deiparae Annuntiatione, 21-22. 26: p. 87, 3, 3242, 3250)