The Feast of the Assumption

The Feast of the Assumption is one of the most beautiful of our feast days. I have a day book of meditations from Pope John XXIII. This is what he wrote about the Feast of the Assumption while Cardinal Patriarch of Venice:

This doctrine about the body of the Blessed Virgin Mary being preserved by the Holy Trinity from all corruption, and immediately transfigured and spiritualised, does not merely represent a truth of faith; it exalts the eternal values of the spiritual world, with its intrinsic needs and irrepressible aspirations.
It renews our hope of a happier future.
It restores our faith in a more perfect justice which will re-establish the order disturbed by sin.
These are thoughts inspired by faith, and if we encourage them they will direct our steps to our heavenly Father's home, and help us to overcome the trials and uncertainties of our daily struggle.
The Dogma of the Assumption teaches us:

1. Earthly life is not an end in itself; its end is in heaven. Youth passes away, dreams and projects fail; the evening comes with its disillusionment and wistful regrets; but the Christian can never give away to melancholy.

2 The soul has pre-eminient and irrefutable rights over the body, and for its sake we must learn how to control our passions, renounce the seductive pleasures of the world and even, sometimes, make heroic decisions.

3. Humble submission to God is the secret of true happiness and peace.

The Feast of the Assumption, so understood, kindles in our hearts those of holy enthusiasms which our religion is always capable of arousing in individuals and in peoples, and strengthens the resolve to renew our souls with the help of divine grace.
Finally, it restores hope, which turns bitterness and hardship of life into joy.

These words of Blessed John XXIII provide much to meditate on, so I thought that I would share them with you on this blog!


NB: The quotation comes from 'Days of Devotion - Daily Meditations from the Good Shepherd Pope John XXIII'