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Image: A painting of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Högalid Church
Pope Francis Angelus Reflection on The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saint Peter’s Square – Thursday, 15 August 2019
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”
Dear brothers and sisters
In today’s Gospel reading for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, the Virgin Mary prays with these words: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-47).
Let us examine the two verbs in this prayer: magnifies and rejoices.
Two verbs: “Magnifies” and “Rejoices”.
We rejoice when something wonderful happens, so much so that it overflows from our soul and we wish to express our happiness with our whole body.
Thus we rejoice.
Mary rejoices because of God.
Have we ever rejoiced for the Lord?
We rejoice over successful results and good news, but today, Mary teaches us to rejoice in God.
Why? Because God does “great things”
The other verb: to magnify refers to great things.
“My soul magnifies”. To magnify.
Indeed magnifying means extolling a reality for its greatness and beauty …
Mary exalts the Lord’s greatness.
She praises him saying that he is truly great.
It is important to seek greatness in life; otherwise one becomes bemused by many trivialities.
Mary shows us that to live a happy life, we should put God first because he alone is great.
Instead, how many times are we distracted by things of little value: prejudice, resentment, rivalry, envy, illusions, and superfluous material goods?
There is so much pettiness in life! We know this.
Today, Mary invites us to look up at the “great things” the Lord did for her.
The Lord does great things for each of us, too.
We must recognize these great things and rejoice, magnifying God for them.
Today, we celebrate the “great things.”
Mary is assumed into heaven.
Though she was small and humble, she was the first to receive the highest glory.
She, a human being, one of us, has attained eternal life of soul and body.
There she awaits us, like a mother waiting for her children to come home.
Indeed, the people of God invoke her as the Gate of Heaven.
We are pilgrims on a journey towards our heavenly home.
Today, we look to Mary and see the finish line.
We see that a creature was assumed into the glory of the risen Jesus Christ,
and that creature could have been no one but her: the mother of the Savior.
We see that Mary, the New Eve, is in Heaven with Christ, the New Adam.
Her presence there gives us comfort and hope on our earthly pilgrimage.
The Feast of the Assumption of Mary calls to each of us, especially those afflicted by doubt and sadness who live with their gaze turned down, unable to raise their glance.
Let us look up. Heaven is open. It does not inspire fear.
It is no longer distant because a mother, our mother, awaits us on the threshold of Heaven.
She loves us, smiles at us, and thoughtfully assists us.
Like every mother, she wants the best for her children.
She tells us: “You are precious in God’s eyes.
You were not made for the small satisfactions of the world, but rather for the great joy of Heaven”.
Yes, because God is joy, not boredom. God is joy.
Let us allow Our Lady to take us by the hand.
Every time we hold the rosary and pray to her, we take a step forward toward life’s great destination.
Let us allow ourselves to be drawn to true beauty.
Let us not be befuddled by the trivialities of life.
Rather, let us choose the greatness of heaven.
May the Holy Virgin, the Gate of Heaven, help us to trust and rejoice daily in knowing where our true home is and that she awaits us there like a mother.
