Sunday is the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. What do we know about Mary’s life on earth; very little. St. Paul tells us that Jesus was born of a woman. Luke, one of the gospel writers, tells us that Jesus was not born of a man; Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit. The first mention we get of Mary is in Mark’s gospel. In chapter 6 of the gospel the people of Nazareth say “this is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary…” This is the first mention because Mark’s gospel was the first one written. After this, we hear about the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of Jesus, Mary at the crucifixion, with the apostles in Jerusalem after the resurrection, and there’s not much more. Also what there is is muddled and sometimes contradictory. However, the important thing is Mary said Yes when God asked her to be the mother of his Son. She was the means by which God became a member of the human race. She was redeemed from the first moment of her existence. Looking at her we can see what a fully redeemed human being looks like; someone who makes way for others, someone with no self-importance. Because Mary was sinless, she did not die, but fell asleep and was assumed into heaven where she continues to mediate God’s grace to us.
Kind Regards
Father Maurice