Like Mary, Sharing the Fulness of God’s Promise

HOMILY: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Luke 1:39-56

15 August 2021

Fr. Ricky C. Montanez, AA

Three years ago, I received a token from a wedding I officiated in Iloilo of an old boy (an alumnus) and an old girl (an alumna) of Assumption Iloilo. The groom, who loves to sketch, drew for me two giraffes facing  opposite directions forming a small letter “r”. I love the token because I like giraffes and what they symbolise for me. I find they are really fascinating creatures. They have very long lean legs. If they want to eat grass, they literally splay their slender legs to bring their heads as close to the ground as possible. At the same time, they have very long regal necks that allow them to have a good vantage to spot threats or dangers ahead so as to avoid them. Being the tallest of all animals, they can see far into the horizon. I believe observing giraffes can teach us a few valuable lessons in life. Although giraffes enjoy great heights, they must lower their heads and struggle to feed themselves or their young from time to time. Our life here on earth also requires us to bend down or even to spread ourselves out to humble us and bring us closer to the ground. Like giraffes that can reach the choicest leaves on the highest branches of a tree, we too ought to pursue the best out of life and always look to the horizon.    

Our celebration of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady gives us a good reason to look beyond our present woes into the glorious inheritance we are all destined for as sons and daughters of God. Mary’s life was not bereft of struggles. Mary faced trying situations that tested her faith in God and humanity. At the Annunciation she gave her “Yes” to God’s will for the salvation of humankind despite the strange and illogical terms presented to her by the angel.  Even to the very end — at the foot of the cross where she witnessed the suffering of her Son, Jesus, as He won for us salvation! Had it been anyone else, they would have easily lost focus and perhaps turned away from God. Not Mary. She kept her gaze firmly fixed on Jesus and remained faithful to her committment to God. She may not have understood everything happening to her and to her loved ones but she trusted in God’s higher purpose.  She remained most trusting of God and His mysterious ways. Her steadfastness, her single-heartedness was not prompted by any external motivations, but rather by her fundamental faith in God. Elizabeth extols Mary in today’s gospel passage saying… “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45)

Like Mary we are all invited to see past our struggles and remain trusting in a God who has a beautiful future prepared for all of His faithful ones. Indeed, we have so much cause for despair with what we have to contend with these days. As today’s mass preface says… “Mary’s Assumption is a sign of sure hope and comfort to God’s pilgrim people.” Mary is a hope-filled sign for all of us who continue to struggle in this life. 

In our parish in San Roque, we have been wanting to have a big statue of our Blessed Mother that is similar in size to that of our image of St. Joseph. Being an Assumptionist priest, my instinct is to introduce the parishioners to Our Lady of the Assumption. The Assumption of Mary image is one of my favourite depictions of the Mother of our Lord because although she retains her humanity, she is so honored and loved by the angels lifting her up to heaven. She is assumed body and soul. It is important to know this that she is closer to us. She is very much one of us. Her arms are open-wide, outstretched, reaching up in anticipation of the precious reward she is to receive from on high. At the same time she directs all of us, her children struggling here below, towards God’s promise of our future for us in heaven. 

Today, as we celebrate the Assumption of Mary, may we believe what St. Paul in our Second Reading says… “For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) We have been promised a future with God in Christ. May we see in Mary a cause for hope and rejoicing in God’s promise of a future in heaven for all the faithful followers of her Son Jesus. Let us look forward to the day when we the faithful ones can fully share with her the fullness of God’s promises in Christ!