Today, we celebrate the Feast or Solemnity of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary into heaven. Just a short summary or catechesis as to what this important dogma is all about. It was on November 1, 1950 that Pope Pius XII proclaimed, declared, and defined as dogma that Mary, after her earthly life, was taken up to heaven body and soul; her body did not go through corruption, but all of her was taken by God to heaven. So, how is this dogma or teaching related to our daily, simple lives? One word: HOPE. This feast gives us hope. Because like Mary, who was also human like us, after experiencing the joys and pains in life, was taken up to heaven to be in the glory of God. Why hope? Because this feast tells us that the pains and sadness of this world that we experience now is passing; is not final; never the end of life; because our true destination is salvation in Heaven. In the Gospel according to John (Chapter 14), Jesus says and assures us “Do not let your hearts be troubled...I am indeed going to prepare a place for you (in my Father’s house), and then I shall come back to take you with me, that where I am you also may be. You know the way that leads where I go.” Isn’t it an assurance of hope my dear brothers? But of course, while we are still on this earth, we experience pain; we can’t prevent it; it’s part of our humanity. We may be sad because of what is happening in our family, in our country, in ourselves; but the challenge is: DILI MAGPALABI SA KAGUOL. Let us not be too serious with our pains. Be hopeful and trust in the Lord. And we see that in Mary. For from the very time she said “YES!” to the Lord until she was on the foot of the cross where her Son was nailed and suffering – she endured. Just imagine how worried she was when her Son was lost in the temple; imagine how painful it was for her when Jesus left home and bid goodbye to mama to follow the Father’s will; imagine how very very painful it was for her to gaze at his Son on the cross begging for her help. But she endured all of these! Because, as what Elizabeth said in the Gospel today, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to us by the Lord would be fulfilled.” That is why she is worthy to be called BLESSED; she is our model of a person who endured pain ‘till the end! In our Gospel today, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was so happy upon seeing Mary. Now, how about you? I wish to re-echo this question of Fr. Mike yesterday, “How about you?” Whenever you go home, does your presence make others (your children, your katulongs, etc.) make them happy or make them tremble in fear? Whenever you go to the office, does your presence make your officemates happy or make them sad and angry? Whenever you go to your tindahans, does your presence make your tinderos and tinderas joyful or tremble in fear? Whenever you go to school does your presence make your teacher and classmates feel blessed or cursed? Yes, though we may be good or not-so-good to others, one thing is clear: That when we say YES to the Lord, we also experience the difficulties and pains of being a Christian.
And so let us ask for the grace that we may always long for Heaven; we may always long for the place prepared for us by Jesus in Heaven. And as we live our daily lives, in our joys and pains, let us ask for the grace of endurance, kalahutayan, perseverance, and that we may always bring the truth that the pain we experience is never never permanent; it is passing; God has prepared a place for us. He loves us! And let us ask the intercession of Mama Mary that we may be like her: Milahutay, nahimong kalipay ug panalangin sa uban. Nga unta ang atong presensya makalipay sa uban ug dili makapakurog hinuon nila sa kahadlok. Makaingon unta sila, “Salamat sa imong presensya ha, nalipay kayo ko ug migaan akong pamati.” “Kini maoy tinuod nga Kristyano!”
So, there is cause for rejoicing here my dear brothers and sisters. We must be happy, because the feast today gives us HOPE that in spite of the pains and sufferings we experience, for as long as we trust in the Lord ‘till the end like Mama Mary, we too will be taken up to heaven, to be with God, with Mama Mary nga puno sa kalipay nga walay katapusan! Mama Mary: Pray for us.
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