Assumption or Victory Sunday
Revelation 12:1-6a, 10ab; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; L 1:39-58
There is an invisible presence in our first reading that helps us to understand its message — John or the visionary! He narrates two events taking place in the sky, but having impacts upon the earth. From the sky, the dragon was shooting down stars like missiles upon the earth. This must be terrifying for the residents of the earth. Still from the sky, a pregnant woman is ready to give birth upon earth. The dragon is against the birth of the child and seeks the destruction of the child and its mother.
Assumption Sunday is Victory Sunday because both mother and child survived the evil intents of the dragon. Although mother and child are nameless in the text, God intervened to safe both. That is, victory over death is the gift of God to those under siege by the dragon if we see the falling stars upon earth as signs of danger and threat to lives!
The sound and song of victory at the end of our first reading makes clear the meaning of Assumption Sunday as Victory Sunday: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One.” The “Anointed One” is Christ, the English meaning of “Messiah”. The kingdom of God is what Christ came to establish. Therefore, the attack of the dragon is to prevent the establishment of the kingdom of God through the threat of death. Mary, the Mother of Christ, was under attack, too. Today, we celebrate the victory of Mother and Child —Jesus and Mary — over death!
It is by correlating the visionary part of our first reading with hymn that concludes it that we understand that it is the Devil, Jesus and Mary that are being talked about in the vision of the first reading. The signs and proofs of Jesus Christ’s victory over death are his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. The Assumption of Mary is the last part of her victory over death: Jesus Christ takes his Mother to heaven to be with him — that is, Assumption is the victory of Mary over death!
Our gospel reading presents us with the name of the woman that our first reading keeps nameless. The gospel links Mary’s song (Magnificat) of victory and thanksgiving for her choice to give birth to the Son of God with the image of the woman about to give birth in our first reading. The nameless Child, of our first reading, is identified with Christ to be born of Mary. And, all the “proud” that were brought low are the agents of the dragon, all those against the will of God.
What was happening in the “sky”, in the vision of John, how the Devil (dragon) fought against God’s plans for human salvation to frustrate it, our gospel presents as the history of Abraham and his descendants down the ages. The battle against sin and infidelity down memory lane resembles the obstacles of the dragon in the first reading. Mary’s Magnificat is a song of victory of God’s plan for human salvation, despite the history of sins!
Assumption or Victory Sunday is a story of hope for every Christian, hope that Resurrection and Heaven await all of us. Here is how our second reading puts it, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”. So, the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ is the foretaste of our Christian belief in immortality and “the resurrection of the dead”!
It might come as a surprise to many that we are celebrating Mary’s Solemnity on a Sunday instead of Jesus Christ! Well, that is inaccurate because every solemnity celebrates an aspect of Christian salvation. The question is, what aspect of Christian Salvation do we celebrate today? The answer is simple: Heaven is impossible without Jesus Christ!
Assumption or Victory Sunday celebrates how Jesus Christ takes his Mother into Heaven — called ASSUMPTION OF MARY — as well as the hope of our own assumption. We celebrate the impossibility of anybody taking himself or herself into Heaven without going through Jesus Christ. Today, Christians all around the world are invited to know that there is immortality, either in Heaven or Hell. This world is not our home. If we spend our time clinging to this world without preparing ourselves for Heaven, immortality in Hell awaits us — God forbid! Mary was taken into Heaven because she did the will of God.
Assumption Sunday must be seen from Ascension Thursday. The reason is, Jesus promised us, before his Ascension, that he was going to prepare a place for us in Heaven; he also promised to return to take us to be with him. On Assumption Sunday, we celebrate the return of Jesus Christ to take his Mother to be with him. As for you and me, when will Jesus come for us?
Well, Assumption is only possible for those who choose to do God’s will. When angel Gabriel requested of Mary to become the Mother of Jesus, she accepted. Today, we celebrate the reward of her fidelity —Assumption of Mary into Heaven. You and I, we bear the name “Christian”, but do we live like Christ, so that Jesus Christ will take us up into his company some day?
Let us keep hope alive; let us keep doing our best while we pray and work for our own ASSUMPTION! Yes, today is Victory Sunday; may God grant us all victory over death like Jesus and Mary 🙏