Wednesday, 15th August 2018

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

LECTIONARY
622

FIRST READING
RV 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB

God's temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One."

PSALM
PS 45:10, 11, 12, 16

Response: The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.

Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father's house.

So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.

They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.

SECOND READING
1 COR 15:20-27

Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for "he subjected everything under his feet."

GOSPEL
LK 1:39-56

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."

And Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor 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
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever."

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.

Daily Reflection

15th August 2018

Assumption of the BVM

Today, we celebrate the Assumption of Mary, the feast that reminds us that, “The Immaculate Virgin preserved free from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory.”

The triumphant message that flows through all three readings tells us of the victory of good over evil, justice over injustice, and life over death. Mary’s Magnificat that we hear in the Gospel, is a powerful hymn of liberation reiterating this hope for the generations to come.

Today’s feast, therefore, serves as an invitation to each of us to take up the challenge to be collaborators in God’s plan of salvation, in realising His Kingdom in the here and now.

We also celebrate India’s Independence Day. Just as Mary whole-heartedly cooperated in God’s plan of salvation, may we significantly contribute to building our nation into a country where life is respected, love prevails and hope never fades.