Aug 15 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary is taken up body and soul into the glory of Heaven, and with God and in God she is Queen of Heaven and earth. And is she really so remote from us? The contrary is true. Precisely because she is with God and in God, she is very close to each one of us. While she lived on this earth, she could only be close to a few people. Being in God, who is close to us, actually, ‘within’ all of us, Mary shares in this closeness of God. Being in God and with God, she is close to each one of us, knows our hearts, can hear our prayers, can help us with her motherly kindness and has been given to us, as the Lord said, precisely as a “mother” to whom we can turn at every moment. – Pope Benedict XVI
Rev 11:19. 12:1-6. 10
1 Cor 15:20-26
Lk 1:39-56
Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled
The Assumption of our Blessed Mother is one of the Solemnities in the Church which I have always enjoyed as it provides me with a reason for hope. This hope is seen in Mother Mary, who was preserved from the stain of Original Sin and would be prevented from the harm of decay caused by death. This very idea encourages me to strive in my faith journey such that I continue to live a life of trusting in God.
The post-pandemic world which we live in has introduced a tremendous amount of doubt and faith in our lives. It has not allowed us to experience the joy of living but instead, there is this lingering sense of fear about contracting an illness. I believe that today’s feast provides us with the encouragement for us to focus our energies on the faith we have in the Lord Jesus, instead of worrying about the external peripheral matters. Perhaps it is tough for us to discover what it means to continue to have faith in Jesus, but we can follow the example of Mother Mary. She always lived a life of holiness amidst the struggles of the daily life in her time. She never once wavered in her belief but always concentrated on her relationship with God. For her efforts, she was preserved from death — which is the consequence of sin.
Brothers and sisters, each one of us is going through issues that only God and you are aware of. Perhaps this opportunity to go to Church on a weekday could serve to lighten the burden which you are facing. I ask that we take this time to pause to think how the outcome of our belief in God is seen in our Blessed Mother. As we go to church, may we discover the wonderful grace that is promised to us if we continue to follow Jesus in our daily lives.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
Prayer: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks to Mother Mary for being such a loving mother.
OXYGEN 
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