Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 8.15.22 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

LUKE 1:39–56

Friends, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The dogma of the Assumption of Mary describes the full salvation of this prime disciple of Jesus.

In the Apostles’ Creed, we speak of our hope for "the resurrection of the body."
Mary, assumed body and soul into heaven, has experienced precisely this resurrection
and hence becomes a sign of hope for the rest of the human race.

When we speak of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother’s body,
we are not envisioning a journey through space, as though Mary moved up into the sky.
The "heavens" are a rich and consistent biblical symbol for the transcendent,
for a manner of existence that lies beyond our familiar dimensions of space and time.

The Assumption of Mary means that the Blessed Mother was "translated," in the totality of her being,
from this dimensional system to the higher one for which we use the term "heaven".
Mary, who exists now in this other world,
is not so much somewhere else as somehow else,
and this helps to explain why we can speak of her,
especially in her heavenly state,
interceding, helping us, and praying for us.

[MurphsLaw]

+++Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.+++

[Jim W N]

Is this a caucus? Because if it is not, I for one would like to question the presumption of this astonishing assumption.

[MurphsLaw]

No, not a Caucus.
For me, I don't think Christ ever had in mind a "Caucused" Logos.
(FR rules aside, of course.)

And while the science is now evidentially there, it should be less of a mystery of the Faith as wll.

We can always be sure though,
that we can never Love the Blessed Virgin
Any more than Christ did...

[Jim W N]

Since this “assumption” is not in scripture (the canon that is accepted through the Holy Spirit by the Body of Christ for the last 2000 years), I think it’s accurate to call it an “assumption” and not a doctrine.

Also, our focus needs to be on the love of Christ towards us because of his sacrifice on the cross which “saves us to the uttermost.”.

Mary was blessed by God but she was as human as any other.

We worship Christ, not man.

Thanks for listening.

[Texas_Guy]

In no way, shape or form do we worship the Blessed Virgin Mary.

She is still human like Enock and Elijah, who were assumed bodily into heaven.

Here is a good article on the Assumption of Mary. Let’s see how many know what they are talking about before dismissing it off hand.

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/the-assumption-of-mary-in-history

[Jim W N]

In no way, shape or form do we worship the Blessed Virgin Mary.

OK, well that's news to me, but good news if you're not worshiping Mary who BTW sometime after Jesus was born was no longer a virgin.

Still have a problem with that presumption of a really outlandish assumption of Mary bodily ascending to the Heavens. Unlike like the bodily ascension of Jesus, Enock, and Elijah, there is nothing in scripture to support the presumption of the assumption that Mary did likewise.

Focus on Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith. Honor Mary and others who have gone before, but focus on Christ, your salvation now and forever.

[Campion]

There's nothing in Scripture to support the notion that Mary had other (biological ) children besides Jesus. Nobody else in Scripture is called a son or daughter of Mary.

In fact, Jesus giving Mary into John's care at Calvary strongly militates against it, since it would have been a very serious sin for Jesus to absolve his blood-brother or sister from the mitzvah "honor thy father and thy mother". Don't take my word for it; Lutheran scholar Joachim Jeremias said it before I did.

Seems like you believe in some stuff not taught in the Bible as well. Maybe you should take care of that plank in your own eye before worrying about the mote in ours.

[Jim W N]

There's nothing in Scripture to support the notion that Mary had other (biological ) children besides Jesus.

Mais non.

Then one said unto him, Behold, your mother and your brethren stand without, desiring to speak with you.

Matt. 12:47.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?

Mark 6:3.

And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

Luke 8:20.

[Texas_Guy]

It’s not an either or situation with Mary and Jesus. You can live both.

There is a reason she says “all nations will call me blessed”.

Also not everything, including the list of books that make up the Bible, are found in the Bible. In face the Bible says that not all of his teachings are found there.

[Jim W N]

the Bible says that not all of his teachings are found there

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

John 16:12-14.

Of course Jesus was speaking of the New Testament which had not yet been written, especially Jesus' revelation to Paul of the Gospel of the Grace of Christ which even today many Christians have trouble with.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

2 Tim 3:16.

Caution!

For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Rev. 22:28-19.

Be very careful. The very end of the canon of scripture in the very last chapter, Rev. 22, is a warning - do not add or take away from the the Word of God, the Bible, "The Book", all of which is prophesy inspired by the Holy Spirit.

[MurphsLaw]

Since this “assumption” is not in scripture (the canon that is accepted through the Holy Spirit by the Body of Christ for the last 2000 years),
I think it’s accurate to call it an “assumption” and not a doctrine.

Well then… aside from the Holy Spirit having several canons floating around out there...
it should follow then that the non-scriptural Trinitarian formula of One God, in Three persons, should be considered only as an “assumption”, not doctrine as well.

Also, our focus needs to be on the love of Christ towards us because of his sacrifice on the cross which “saves us to the uttermost.”.

Whatever the “Focus” process is suppose entail – yes you are over the target buddy !! Yes- exactly as you say,
Today Aug. 15th IS all about “the love of Christ towards us“...It was out of the purest Love he created his own Mother - For him to take her flesh for his very Sacrifice.
What love would he have had to make his Mother, the most beautiful, loving, Immaculate Masterpiece of a Woman for his Incarnation – For US.
He could have appeared to us in manys different ways- but HE CHOSE a Mother, Mary, pure as any of us would, as pure as the Ark of the New Covenant needed to be.
And he chose his Mother- with the gift that she would not die.

You may not consider her worthy of Assumption, or worthy as Isaiah, Enoch or Moses- but Christ created her for HIS purpose alone- for God to enter into our world through Her- even before any prophet or scripture was written. That’s pretty special just in that...

We can never Love Mary, MORE THAN JESUS DID.
That’s something to focus on.
She shows us how to focus on Christ, as she did, When she said “yes”;

As she tells us: DO whatever HE tells you.

God Bless. It was a good day.

[Jim W N]

the Holy Spirit having several canons floating around out there

That's confusion and God is not the author of confusion my FRiend.

For 2000 years, The Body of Christ has accepted the 66 books of the Bible as the singular authoritative Holy-Spirit inspired scripture - the accepted "canon" of scripture of which the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ are in agreement.

The Catholic Church, like the Mormon Church, decided somewhere along the line after scripture was sealed shut with Revelation Chapter 22, to add their own scriptures to the Bible. VERY DANGEROUS. (See my post #10).

Trinitarian formula of One God, in Three persons, should be considered only as an “assumption”, not doctrine

Mais non encore mon ami.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word [of course, Jesus is ID's in scripture as the Word], and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1 John 5:7.

You can look up the many other scriptures referencing Jesus, the Father and the Spirit to being one. The trinity is definitely sound scriptural doctrine, not a flight of fancy like these assumptions about Mary who did not remain a virgin BTW.

We can never Love Mary, MORE THAN JESUS DID.

Maybe not, but you can certainly love and emphasize Mary as much if not more than Jesus and that could easily be called idolatry.

God bless and have a good day.

[NorthStarOkie]

I’m getting in on the end of this thread. I wish to compliment you on your attempt to teach.

Isn’t it interesting/scary that people brush off scripture so easily.
See: “in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.”
In their list of priorities, scripture comes last.
It doesn’t do much good to cite scripture if tradition is far more important.

This is a new one for me:
“There are several canons floating around out there.”
No logical argument can stand against that.
“If you just would read from those canon-documents, there would be no argument.”
I wonder which canon the Lord will use on the day of Judgment as taught in Revelation 20.
In preparation for that, it is safest to use HIS canon, methinks.
I’m going with “thy word is truth.”

Then mix in the argument from silence: “If scripture is dead silent on the issue and it isn’t banned, then I can choose what I want.”
Wow! Does that not describe a host of denominational doctrines.
“None is so blind as he who will not see.”

- - -

To show the peril of members of denominations, think about this:
A whole bunch of “Christians” hold that: It is the case that purgatory exists or will exist.
A whole bunch of “Christians” hold that: It is NOT the case that purgatory exists or will exist.

The logical Law of Non-Contradiction says that a proposition and its negation cannot both exist at the same time.
Purgatory or Not-Purgatory, one is reality, the other is fantasy.
If the Lord is to be good and just, he cannot save both groups of “Christians.”
Whatever the Lord’s decision, there are a WHOLE BUNCH OF ”CHRISTIANS” on the wrong side THAT WILL BE LOST.
Or maybe both sides.

Even that doesn’t motivate very many.

What commandment is transgressed here?
The commandment to rightly divide the word of God!

If you take the denominations pairwise and examine their doctrine(s) you will get a situation of “Doctrine versus NOT-Doctrine” for every pair.
I think Judgment is going to be a blood bath; the look on people’s faces:
But my minister taught me that!
(Shades of Adam: Eve made me do it.)

In order for education to happen, there must be a good teacher, which you are, and a good student, in this case, not so much.

[Jim W N]

Well, thank you for your kind words.

I love to discuss, argue, and debate (when it's in good faith) hoping that others who are standing by will learn. Isn't that what happened with Jesus and Paul? I feel like in this discussion the ones on the other side were contending in good faith. I thought it was a good discussion.

When it comes to spiritual truth, I say stick to the Bible, God's Word, which is "like a hammer that breaks the rock (hard hearts and man's arguments) in pieces" (Jer. 23:29).

“There are several canons floating around out there.” No logical argument can stand against that.

Here's one and it's very powerful especially against Catholic and Mormon attempts to add to scripture after Revelation Chapter 22 (other than the stern warning in Rev. 22:18-19, two verses shy of the last words of scripture):

We [the Body of Christ] are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God does not hear us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:6.

The Body of Christ and the Holy Spirit have witnessed for 2000 years that the 66 books of the Bible are the one and only cannon of scripture. Anything else is confusion and as I told them, "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Cor 14:33). If they don't hear us (the Body of Christ), and we know the Mormon Church especially is a cult, then scripture says they are not of God.

[MurphsLaw]

For 2000 years, The Body of Christ has accepted the 66 books of the Bible as the singular authoritative Holy-Spirit inspired scripture - the accepted "canon" of scripture of which the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ are in agreement.

It sounds lofty and spiritual and all that, but the Holy Spirit tells me the Canon of the Church has been around for 2000 years. Your Holy Spirit can only get abut 500 years on that timeline.

You don’t really believe that though.
Had the Gnostics way back when won out over the Catholic Church you wouldn’t even have an Old Testament in your book. Thankfully, through the authority of apostolic success the early church and it councils pushed back on the heresies and forged the Canon of what you enjoy today. That very same Canon that had to be fought for, you now use to disqualify the same Church that had won over this scripture for you to enjoy to this day so many years ago. Karmuh.

The Catholic Church, like the Mormon Church, decided somewhere along the line after scripture was sealed shut with Revelation Chapter 22, to add their own scriptures to the Bible. VERY DANGEROUS. (See my post #10). You don’t say… “added their “own” scriptures” – Could you be more specific on what those Catholic Church Scripture are? (Personally, I wished they had added the Didache too…)

Let me ask you somethings though about all this…
Did Jesus Christ ever say anything about New Testament books? Did Jesus ever mention anything about compiling a “Canon” – and what should be in it?
How do we know for certain what is supposed to be the accurate Canon? Is there a list?
And if everything is to be – and ONLY to be found in the Bible for Jesus- where does that doctrine come from, since Jesus did not speak of it?
Can that doctrine be found then in the Bible, as it should be?

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word [of course, Jesus is ID's in scripture as the Word], and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 1 John 5:7. You can look up the many other scriptures referencing Jesus, the Father and the Spirit to being one. The trinity is definitely sound scriptural doctrine, not a flight of fancy like these assumptions about Mary who did not remain a virgin BTW.

Why on earth would you choose 1 John 5 – the most contentious and doubtful “scripture” in the Bible??
which we know definitively, part of that verse WAS ADDED to sacred writing...(See YOUR post #10). (Won’t even bother with Luther.)

Do you see any contradiction here to what you are saying about scripture?

We can never Love Mary, MORE THAN JESUS DID.

Maybe not, but you can certainly love and emphasize Mary as much if not more than Jesus and that could easily be called idolatry.

Today’s Mass Gospel is the …”With God – ANYTHING is Possible” message. Too funny. Christ didn’t say …”With God - Anything is Possible - as long as it’s in the book”…
No. that doctrine does not exist.
No,no. It sad that the Blessed Virgin Mary has to be the collateral damage for being not-Catholic. But you do not have to adore her as Catholics do... I’m not saying you or anyone else must venerate Her as well.
But in denying Her, it may put you at odds with her Son.
Maybe, Maybe not.
You can believe Mary was just another Jewish girl in the desert… and that’s fine…
but not to allow yourself to enjoy and embrace her beauty and her Love for us, (not diminishing Christ in any way, actually magnifying Christ for us)
keeps you from fulfilling Christ's desire for us to Behold His Mother.

Peace,

[Jim W N]

If you've received Jesus Christ into your heart, then your personal rejection of portions of scripture you don't like does not jeopardize your salvation which is yours for eternity, but does jeopardize potential eternal rewards.

The Body of Christ with witness from the Holy Spirit accepts 1 John 5 as scripture. Your denial puts you at odds with God himself. As it is written,

We [the Body of Christ] are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God does not hear us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:6.

[Texas_Guy]

That’s ludicrous.

Rejecting the word of God is rejecting Jesus.

Rejecting his church is rejecting the body of Christ.

How do you think you’ll be in heaven with him when you reject him now for what you want?

[Texas_Guy]

966 “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.”[508] The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:

In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.[509]

[Jim W N]

Jesus said he would never leave of forsake those who come to him.

Salvation is forever. You cannot be un-born again just like you cannot un-ring a bell.

Once you are born again, you are in God’s family. Not everyone in God’s family is necessarily well behaved.

Every family has its black sheep. God loves them anyway. As long as one has accepted Jesus, God says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).

Also like the prodigal son, they’ll be others in the family that condemn him and whine and complain because God accepts them, but God doesn’t care because he saves by grace through faith not by good deeds.

Jesus paid the full penalty for all of his sins and once he receives Jesus he has eternal life forever and no one can take that away (John 10:28).

[Jim W N]

Texas_Guy, I guess you must be Catholic. I suppose.

Anyway, I think we’ve been over this already, but sometime after Jesus’ birth, Mary was no longer a virgin and nothing anywhere in the Bible declares she was sinless.

There is only one sinless who was born of a woman and that is Jesus Christ. “Worship Him.”