Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This solemnity dates back to at least the sixth century when the Church celebrated Mary’s dormition, or her going to sleep. But, in the Church’s Tradition, her sleep was always followed by her rising and being taken into heaven. We call Mary’s entry into heaven her assumption, because she was assumed, body and soul, into the heaven. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, so too was Mary awakened from her sleep.
Last week, we celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration, when the glory of the Lord was revealed to Peter, James, and John on the mountain. This week, we hear how God reveals himself to Elijah on the mountain, and in the gospel how Jesus goes up the mountain by himself to pray. It would seem there is quite a bit of mountain imagery in our readings as of late. What are these mountains all about? In the ancient world, because mountains were the highest elevations on earth, reaching into the…
Jesus says, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” Jesus charges his closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, to keep the revelation of his transfiguration to themselves until after his Resurrection. Why? Because what was shown to them as proof of Jesus’ divinity would become for them a powerful testimony to evangelize others. We see how Peter uses his testimony in our second reading when he says, “we had been eyewitnesses of his…
“The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” Stern words from our Blessed Lord, who for the second time in a row speaks of the value of the kingdom of heaven. Those who are wise, like King Solomon, and lead a life of faith by keeping the commandments are welcomed into the kingdom, while those who lead a life of wickedness and sin are cast out. What Jesus is describing in the latter…
