Revelation 11.19a;12.1,3-6a,10ab | 1 Corinthians 15.20-27a | Luke 1.39-56

On August 15, Mother Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the fourth Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary. In some countries, the solemnity is transferred to the following Sunday to facilitate the participation of the faithful.

This is a dogma of the Catholic Church, proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950, declaring that the Mother of Jesus, at the end of her earthly life, was raised body and soul into Heaven. A dogma is a truth of faith taught by the Church, which must be embraced by the faithful.

We begin the third week of the Month of Vocations, dedicated to Consecrated Religious Life. We pray for the perseverance of the religious men and women who follow Jesus through the radical practice of poverty, obedience, and chastity in the various institutes, orders, and congregations around the world; they enrich the Church with the charism and spirituality inherited from their founders, holding the Blessed Virgin Mary as their model and inspiration.

Today, the Evangelist Luke recounts Mary’s visit to her relative Elizabeth and the famous *Magnificat*, the hymn that speaks of the wonders God accomplished in Mary. This is the second Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary.

In short, Elizabeth was informed by John the Baptist (while still in her womb) and by the Holy Spirit about the presence of God the Son in Mary’s womb, prophesying with joy that all generations would recognize her as blessed among all women.

We conclude that those who allow themselves to be moved by the Holy Spirit belong to the generation that joyfully blesses Mary as the Mother of the Lord.

With an exultant heart, Mary magnified the Lord for the wonders He accomplished in her. The Evangelist Luke certainly drew inspiration from the song of praise of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel (cf. 1 Samuel 2:1–10). The *Magnificat* hymn is sung every evening by the Church during Vespers in the Liturgy of the Hours.

The Lord’s merciful love and faithfulness are exalted in the history of His people, Israel—casting down the proud and lifting up the humble. With the same prophetic spirit as Elizabeth, Mary proclaimed that all generations would call her blessed.

The greatest marvel the Lord accomplished in Mary was raising her body and soul to Heaven at the end of her earthly life. The Lord looked upon the humility of His handmaid and, through the merits of the Incarnation and Redemption, exalted the Mother of God the Son, the Savior.

As we bless Mary, we grow in the faith that we, too, at the end of our earthly lives, shall rise again and be in Heaven—body and soul—through the infinite mercy and love of the Lord in Christ Jesus. Everything the Lord accomplished beforehand in Mary is also accomplished in us, through Christ and the Church.

Today, the Evangelist John speaks to us, in the Book of Revelation, about the famous sign of the pregnant Woman facing the great Dragon.

In short, the Woman gave birth to a son who came to rule all nations. The son was caught up to God and His throne. The Woman went to the place God had prepared for her.

Early Christian communities identified Jesus as the one born to rule all nations. Thus, the Woman was identified as Mary—clothed with the Lord (clothed with the sun), victorious over evil (with the moon beneath her feet), and united with the Church (crowned with twelve stars upon her head).

The expression "caught up to God" referred to Jesus' Ascension into Heaven; ...and the expression "having gone to the place prepared by God" referred to the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.

On this solemnity today, let us hear the powerful voice in Heaven proclaiming: "Now have come salvation and power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ." The Lord is wonderful in the lives of His saints, particularly in that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, raised to Heaven. She is the Ark of the Covenant that appeared when the Temple of God was opened.

Today, the Apostle Paul speaks to us, in his First Letter to the Corinthians, about death through sin in Adam and life through grace in Christ.

The Apostle taught that death will be destroyed because God the Father has subjected all things to Christ. In the end, the Son will hand over the Kingdom to the Father. Paul said that Christ was the first to rise from the dead and that those who belong to Christ will also rise at His coming. Christians belong to Christ through the grace of the sacrament of Baptism, by which they died to sin and were reborn through faith.

The Blessed Virgin Mary belongs to Christ in a very particular way, having been chosen by the Creator to be the Mother of the Savior of sinners. After Christ, the Most Holy Mary rose at the end of her earthly life, being raised to Heaven in body and soul—for we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, and not merely of the soul.

Christ's enemies—regardless of their power and strength—will be placed beneath His feet. Death, as the last enemy, will be destroyed and conquered. In the Blessed Virgin Mary, victory over death was achieved in her Assumption into Heaven.

Let us place our trust in the Mother of God at the hour of our death, certain that she was assumed into Heaven and will welcome us into eternity, leading us to the glorious throne of Christ in final beatitude.

As they contemplate the Virgin Mary, may many young people hear God's call and consecrate themselves to the Lord in religious life.