In about 30 minutes the Churches in my time zone will start honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Assumption into Heaven.
I shall be getting into more apologetics as to the Assumption in an later post. That is- what is all these about and questions that non Catholics and even Catholics might have. There are often misconceptions about Mary and this Feast especially.
Let us take a look at the reading that are special just for the Vigil that will be celebrating tonight. The readings for Mass tomorrow will be different. I shall give my brief thoughts on these scriptures right now.
The following readings for tonight can be located here.
The Old Testament reading is as follows:
Reading 11 Sm 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place which he had prepared for it.David also called together the sons of Aaron and the Levites.The Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with poles,as Moses had ordained according to the word of the LORD.David commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kinsmen as chanters,to play on musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals,to make a loud sound of rejoicing.They brought in the ark of God and set it within the tent which David had pitched for it.Then they offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. When David had finished offering up the burnt offerings and peace offerings ,he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.
Now why are we talking about the Ark of the Covenant. We are talking about the Ark because the Virgin Mary is the TRUE Ark of the Covenant. What she carried and what was inside her was the God himself. The Ark of the Covenant and its connection to the Virgin Mary has been meditated on since the beginning. It again is a striking example of how the Old Testament interacts with the Gospels and New Testament writings. A link I posted earlier gives a good intro to this. Whenever I think of the Ark and Mary these two scriptures out of many always jump out to me:
In 2 Samuel 6:9, King David asks "How can the ark of the Lord come to me"
and
Luke 1:43 Elizabeth exclaims "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
Notice in the reading the rejoicing that is occuring in front of the ARK. It is a party. Think of the NT verse where John the Baptist leaped in the womb of Elizabeth in the presence of the Mary (THe True Ark)
I shall be getting into more apologetics as to the Assumption in an later post. That is- what is all these about and questions that non Catholics and even Catholics might have. There are often misconceptions about Mary and this Feast especially.
Let us take a look at the reading that are special just for the Vigil that will be celebrating tonight. The readings for Mass tomorrow will be different. I shall give my brief thoughts on these scriptures right now.
The following readings for tonight can be located here.
The Old Testament reading is as follows:
Reading 11 Sm 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place which he had prepared for it.David also called together the sons of Aaron and the Levites.The Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with poles,as Moses had ordained according to the word of the LORD.David commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kinsmen as chanters,to play on musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals,to make a loud sound of rejoicing.They brought in the ark of God and set it within the tent which David had pitched for it.Then they offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. When David had finished offering up the burnt offerings and peace offerings ,he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.
Now why are we talking about the Ark of the Covenant. We are talking about the Ark because the Virgin Mary is the TRUE Ark of the Covenant. What she carried and what was inside her was the God himself. The Ark of the Covenant and its connection to the Virgin Mary has been meditated on since the beginning. It again is a striking example of how the Old Testament interacts with the Gospels and New Testament writings. A link I posted earlier gives a good intro to this. Whenever I think of the Ark and Mary these two scriptures out of many always jump out to me:
In 2 Samuel 6:9, King David asks "How can the ark of the Lord come to me"
and
Luke 1:43 Elizabeth exclaims "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
Notice in the reading the rejoicing that is occuring in front of the ARK. It is a party. Think of the NT verse where John the Baptist leaped in the womb of Elizabeth in the presence of the Mary (THe True Ark)
Let us look at the responsorial psalm:
R. (8) Lord, go up to the place of your rest, you and the ark of your holiness.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;we found it in the fields of Jaar.Let us enter his dwelling,let us worship at his footstool.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest, you and the ark of your holiness.
May your priests be clothed with justice;let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.For the sake of David your servant,reject not the plea of your anointed.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest, you and the ark of your holiness.For the LORD has chosen Zion;he prefers her for her dwelling.“Zion is my resting place forever;in her will I dwell, for I prefer her.”
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest, you and the ark of your holiness.
HE said:
"The typological meaning of this passage reads like this:The "LORD" is Christ who "arises" in the resurrection and ascends to the right hand of the Father. The "ark of thy might" is the Blessed Virgin Mary who as the Ark of the New Covenant held within her the Word of the New Covenant - not in stone but in flesh. The context is the inauguration of the Kingdom under David. Christ is the Greater-than-David.See Rev 11:19-12:2 for further Scriptural testimony that Mary is the "Ark of the New Covenant".
How true
Now as to the NT reading:
Brothers and sisters:When that which is mortal clothes itself with immortality,then the word that is written shall come about:Death is swallowed up in victory.Where, O death, is your victory?Where, O death, is your sting?The sting of death is sin,and the power of sin is the law.But thanks be to God who gives us the victorythrough our Lord Jesus Christ.
The reason this passage of scripture is used today is self evident. That is death has not only lost its sting as to Mary but all of us. We shall ,Like the Blessed Mother, if we complete the race be with our Lord and conquer death
Finally the Gospels
While Jesus was speaking,a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,“Blessed is the womb that carried youand the breasts at which you nursed.”He replied,“Rather, blessed are thosewho hear the word of God and observe it.”
This verse is often brought up by non Catholic against Marian Dogma as sort of a Gotcha verse. Look they say, You call her blessed and the Lord says she is not at all. I suppose they would be shocked that not only do we know this holy scripture but we use it on one our Lady's Highest Feast days.
First lets be clear here. Is this compliment by the lady in the crowd directed toward the blessed Virgin Mary? No it is not. It is directed to Jesus. Mr David Armstrong , an noted Catholic Apologist, pointed out this is even acknowledged by reputable non Catholic commentaries.
New Bible Commentary (ed. D. Guthrie, rev. 1970, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, p. 906), a reputable Protestant source, states:
The woman's rather sentimental benediction on Jesus' mother meant, 'If only I had such a son as this.' Jesus' reply is that something else matters far more, to hear the message He proclaimed and to obey it (cf. 6:46-49).
The woman's rather sentimental benediction on Jesus' mother meant, 'If only I had such a son as this.' Jesus' reply is that something else matters far more, to hear the message He proclaimed and to obey it (cf. 6:46-49).
Needless to say not only do we call Jesus blessed we call hiim LORD, SAVIOR, GOD, and various other titles.
The reason we mediate on this passage is that the Lord is calling us to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary. There is no other Christian that I can find that obeyed and proclaimed our Lord more. In fact as to proclaiming our Lord can anything match this in Luke
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed;
the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
to remember his promise of mercy,
The promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
He references a great Ancient father of the Church in the above link. That is the great Father and Doctor of the Church St Ambrose wo dies in 397. I leave you with his words:
"May Mary's soul be in each one to magnify the Lord, may Mary's spirit be in each one to rejoice in God; if, according to the flesh, the Mother of Christ is one alone, according to the faith all souls bring forth Christ; each, in fact, welcomes the Word of God within.... Mary's soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God because, consecrated in soul and spirit to the Father and to the Son, she adores with devout affection one God, from whom come all things and only one Lord, by virtue of whom all things exist" (Exposition of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, 2: 26-27
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