A Franciscan Reflection of the Assumption of Mary

In one of the best Pastoral Letters I ever read:

From the Franciscans in Detroit who run Saint Aloysius right in the heart of downtown Detroit, Michigan. (Where prominently placed is a mosaic of the Mother of Perpetual Help)

I quote Fr. Tod:
Dear Brothers and Sisters
"Men of Galilee: they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:1-11). At the Ascension of Jesus, the angels direct the attention of the disciples back to earth. Here, on earth, we are to find Jesus even though we may long to be with him in heaven.
When I was a child, most of us Catholics were like the disciples. We were looking up to heaven. We lived our lives with an eye to winning the prize of eternal life. I can remember going in and out of church on certain feast days and making 'visits to the Blessed Sacrament". We'd say a few prescribed prayers, genuflect and leave the church. On the steps of the church we'd turn around and march back in for another 'visit'. We were piling up 'graces' against the day when we would meet the Lord 'face to face.'
The weakness in this approach was that we tended to forget that we were commissioned by the Lord to go throughout the whole world inviting people to join in the kingdom of God. We were to live the Gospel 'in the world' we were to carry the Love of God to everyone we met.

Today's feast of Mary's Assumption suggests that while we look up and recognize that Mary shares in the fullness of resurrection (in light of Jesus' own resurrection) she still whispers in our ear, "they have no more wine" and "do whatever he tell you". Mary's joy is to direct our attention to a world much in need of the love of God. We celebrate her joy and draw inspiration from her to live lives of loving service here until we join her in the unending bliss of heaven. Happy Feast of the Assumption."



I was so impressed with this that I stuffed the bulletin in my purse and carried it back with me to Washington. As I pulled out my wallet for my Au Bon Pain croissant this morning this flew out as if to say- read me again!