This weekend we celebrate the feast of our parish family ~ the Assumption of our Lady into Heaven. St. Elizabeth’s greeting, in the Gospel today, is added to that of the Archangel Gabriel, and together compose the opening of the Hail Mary. Recall the Archangel’s greeting to Mary: “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Coupled with St. Elizabeth’s greeting: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” this gives us the first part of the Hail Mary. We then add our petition to their greetings; namely, “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” This is a beautiful prayer to our Mother which we recite so often; yet, let us not forget or take for granted Mary’s love and intercession in our lives. I recently heard of a play of the Passion of Jesus in which the character Judas leaves the Last Supper and realizes what he has done. As he walks through the village, he is heard reciting: “Where can I go? Everything is lost now!” A little girl overhears Judas and yells back: “Fool! Fool! Go to Mary!” Although it is just a play; I think the advice should be heeded. In any circumstance, let us not be fools ~ let us together go to Mary, who will bring us to Her Son.
Holy Mary, our hope, seat of Wisdom, pray for us!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Wayne