Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
I recently visited a young couple whose son had been born just about three weeks prior. We had a delightful visit in which I had the great privilege of holding him and jiggling him as he seemed to be considering the possibility of another nap. One of the things that really struck me during our visit was how little I (or perhaps even his parents) knew at about who he is or will be.
He seemed so alert. He seemed to be looking very intently at whatever was in his field of vision. And he moved around quite a lot—stretching his arms and legs. We had fun speculating about these apparent attributes. What would all his energy and intensity mean in the years ahead? They would likely mean, we joked, that his parents would be exhausted!
Of course, I have no idea what any of that means for who he will be. Will any of those apparent attributes persist? Are they just the common doings of a newborn? Who knows? There is so much we don’t know about a new baby. And there is so very much promise. And all that promise brings such joy!
The story of Mary and Elizabeth’s visit seems all about just that sort of promise—especially the promise of new life that leaps in the womb. And even more a new life, in the case of Mary’s child, who will become the prince of peace and the source of our salvation. What a meeting this must have been for them. So much promise, joy, anticipation. The story makes me want to leap for joy!
Notably, there is another kind of promise in Luke’s text for today. It is not the kind of promise that is about the joy of not knowing and anticipating and wondering. Instead, it’s the promise or, perhaps better put, promises that come from God. In the Magnificat, Mary reminds us of God’s promise of mercy to Israel, Abraham, all Abraham’s children—to us. God has promised God’s mercy to us.
God’s promises are, indeed, wonderful—promises of mercy, grace, love. But they can be hard to hold onto sometimes. When work seems overwhelming or finances are stretched too thin or the day’s news just too dark, it can be hard to remember God’s promises.
It’s no wonder that Elizabeth praises Mary for her faithfulness. Indeed, she calls Mary “blessed” because Mary believed that what the Lord promised, the Lord would fulfill.
My prayer today is to be so blessed—that is, to have true faith in God’s promises of mercy, love, and grace each day, no matter what it brings. Amen.
- Sue Trollinger