We wish you a Merry Marymass, St. Mary’s Day, Lady Day, or, as it is commonly known, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
What a happy day!
The Lesson at today’s Mass refers to the Virgin Mary, and reads:
“The Lord hath blessed thee by his power, because by thee he hath brought our enemies to nought. Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth. Blessed be the Lord who made heaven and earth, who hath directed thee to the cutting off the head of the prince of our enemies. Because he hath so magnified thy name this day, that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord for ever, for that thou hast not spared thy life, by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy people, but hast prevented our ruin in the presence of our God. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honour of our people.” Judith 13:22-25; 15:10, source
And, the Gospel reads:
“At that time, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she cried out with a loud voice and said: “Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.” And Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.” Luke 1:41-50
“…from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”
“…all generations…”
Today, this generation calls the Virgin Mary, blessed.
And, from the Collect at today’s Mass, we pray with the Church:
“O Almighty and Eternal God, You have taken up into heavenly glory the body and soul of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of Your Son. May we always look upward toward heaven and come to be worthy of sharing her glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .”
“May we always look upward toward heaven…”
Today, we look up to heaven where, seated on her throne, is our most illustrious Queen, and Mother; a pure Mother, never tainted in the slightest degree by the sin of Eve, never tainted by even the slightest fault of her own; and this valiant Queen is filled with grace beyond all human understanding.
She is the Immaculate Conception (Our Lady of Lourdes).
God made her, and gifted her to us.
She is a pure gift of love from God.
So, on Marymass, a festive day, think of this sublime gift of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary; and have a merry Marymass!
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•Information on the Assumption: link
•Catholic customs which relate to Marymass: link
•Video clip, Pope Pius XII proclaims the dogma of the Assumption, 1950, link
•Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, which defines the dogma of the Assumption, from November 1, 1950: here
•Image (above): Rubens, the Assumption of the Virgin, source
