Week 4
The Gift of the Assumption
The Word of God contained in scripture helps us to get to know God. St. Jerome, the Catholic priest who translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin in the late 300s, famously said, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of God.” God’s word should inspire us and transform us. It is more than a book, it is God’s love letter to us.
Did you know? In the 300s, the language of the majority of the people in the Christian world was Latin. It was the language used by the common people. St. Jerome wanted the word of God to be accessible to everyone, so he translated it from the original languages to the language of the people. The Latin Vulgate translation is still the official translation of the Church.
Our hope is entirely in the Lord. God loves us so much that He wants us to be with Him in Heaven forever. Not only will our souls be in Heaven when we die, but at the end of time, our bodies will be resurrected just as Jesus was after three days in the tomb. God chose to give Mary a second special gift. When she was conceived, He gave her the gift of being without original sin in the Immaculate Conception; now, at the end of her life, she is brought, body and soul, to Heaven in the Assumption. Jesus rose up to Heaven body and soul at the Ascension by His own power. But, whereas Jesus ascended by His own divine power, Mary was taken up to Heaven by God’s power and not her own. This is why we say that Jesus ascended and Mary was assumed.
We can be encouraged by Mary’s Assumption, body and soul, into Heaven, because it is what God has promised us too. He gave that gift first to Mary, so that we can see He is indeed a Father who keeps His promises. We can live in the hope of God’s promise and be a people of hope, and not of doubt.
Daily Practice this week
Strive to let the Light of Christ shine in our world by evangelizing others:
- Pray in public before meals with your family.
- Make time to give a reason for your hope to others. For instance, if people tend to say, “you have a beautiful family, how do you do it?”, be prepared to answer them and tell them how your faith makes it possible.
- Comfort someone who is mourning and offer to pray with him and for his intentions.
- Only offer encouragement on social media, instead of criticism.
- Pay it forward – get a drink for someone when she is thirsty or pay for her lunch, perhaps a homeless person.
- Perform any Corporal or Spiritual Work of Mercy.
- Pray for Missionaries.
Daily Prayer this week
Hail Holy Queen
The daily prayer is included in the Day 1 Meditation Page