Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit”

Lk 11: 27-28

Gospel of the evening Mass of the Vigil of the Assumption

At that time, as Jesus was speaking to the crowd, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

In addition to the infinite honour of being the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Virgin Mary these words of the Gospel we have just heard are fulfilled to perfection. Listening to the Word of God and putting it into practice is the deepest essence of Mary. This way of listening shows that the Blessed Virgin’s heart is undividedly centred on God and that whatever He entrusts to her, she carries out with joy. Read More

The life of the righteous

Wis 3:1-9

A reading from the memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe

 The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be an affliction,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of men they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;

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The Word of God

Ezek 2:8–3:4

But you, son of man, hear what I say to you; be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth, and eat what I give you.”  And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and lo, a written scroll was in it; and he spread it before me; and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. Read More

SURRENDER TO THE FATHER WITHOUT RESERVE

“Give me, o Lord, what you command, and command what you will” (St. Augustine).

With our eyes fixed on our heavenly Father, we can confidently utter this prayer, which moves us to give ourselves completely to the Lord and to refuse Him nothing. Often we are still reluctant to entrust ourselves unreservedly to our Father, clinging to the seemingly solid foundation of our natural inclinations. Perhaps there is even a certain fear that our Father will ask something of us that we are not ready to give Him. Read More

True freedom

Mt 17:22-27

When the disciples were together with Jesus in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of man is going to be delivered into the power of men; they will put him to death, and on the third day he will be raised up again.’ And a great sadness came over them. When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel came to Peter and said, ‘Does your master not pay the half-shekel?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, and went into the house. But before he could speak, Jesus said, ‘Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do earthly kings take toll or tribute? From their sons or from foreigners?’ And when he replied, ‘From foreigners,’ Jesus said, ‘Well then, the sons are exempt. However, so that we shall not be the downfall of others, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that rises, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for yourself.’ Read More

 Do not falter along the way

1 Kgs 19:4-8

In those days, Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank, and lay down again.  And the angel of the Lord came again a second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you.”  And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. Read More