Homily for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15, 2021

 

Homily for August 15, 2021

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Living for Heaven

 

            Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. The Church has always believed, even from its earliest days, that at the end of her earthly life Mary was taken up, body and soul, into Heaven. Since Mary never committed sin, she did not need to experience the consequence of sin (which is death).

            Mary was taken up into Heaven at the end of her life because she lived for Heaven every day of her life. Her entire life was for God – praising Him, loving Him, glorifying Him. For example, at the Annunciation when the Archangel Gabriel told her that she would be the mother of the Savior, she had a lot of reasons to refuse. As a pregnant, unwed mother, she risked people thinking she was an adulteress. She could have lost her fiancée Joseph. She could have been stoned to death. Certainly her plans for a quiet, peaceful life would be upended. But what did she say? “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Her life wasn’t about her – her plans, her reputation, her safety – no, her life was completely given over to God.

            Or consider the Cross. How painful it must have been to stand at the foot of the Cross and watch Her Son die! She must have wanted to run away, to hide, to somehow get away from this scene that was tearing her heart out in grief. But no, she stayed faithful – because her life wasn’t about her comfort or her happiness – it was about God.

            We live for all sorts of things. Can you say that you are living for God? For Heaven? Most of our days are filled with pursuing money, pleasure, popularity, success, a comfortable retirement. Those things are good – but they aren’t the point of life.

            When I have taught Confirmation classes in the past, I would always start out by asking the teens, “What is the point of life?” Usually I’d get a variety of responses. Most kids would say, “Uh…to have a good time?” or “To make the world a better place” or “To be successful.” All of which are…not quite correct. The point of life is very simple: We are here on this earth to know, love, and serve God, so that we can be eternally happy with Him in the next life.

            A major turning point in my own relationship with the Lord was when I was a senior in high school, when I began attending community college. Up until that point in my life I had actually been homeschooled, so I guess you could say I was a bit sheltered! But when I started at community college, I began meeting people whose values were completely different from mine. All they would talk about is the next drinking party, the next paycheck, the next girlfriend…and I began to really evaluate what life was all about. I remember asking myself two questions: “Is that all there is to life? It seems to shallow!” and “Are they happy?” They weren’t happy – there was a constant striving for the next pleasure, the next hundred bucks, the next A on a test…and there was nothing transcendent. I realized the only truly happy people were those who were living for something bigger than themselves – and the happiest people I knew were those who were living for God.

            Now, one might say, “Why can’t I live for God and money? God and pleasure?” But we can only have one person on the throne of our hearts. It will either be God, or ourselves. We talk about Mary having an “Immaculate Heart” – a heart that is pure and immaculate is a heart that is undivided – she pursued God with her whole heart. Most of us give God part of our life (and often it’s not even the biggest part!).

            I was celebrating a funeral once where the nephew of the deceased got up to give the eulogy. He began the eulogy by saying, “My uncle loved two things in life more than anything else. He loved God…and he loved bikinis.” I wanted to stand up and say, “Hey man, you gotta pick one or the other!”

            So, to live for God, does that mean we have to quit our jobs and become hermits? Not at all. But it does mean that the goal of our lives, the orientation of our lives, must change. When we earn money, the money can’t be the goal; rather, we must seek to do our best at work to glorify God, provide for our family, and be generous to the poor. When we enjoy pleasures such as food and drink, sleep, or sexual pleasure, we must enjoy them in the way God intends, in moderation, and willing to give them up for love of Him. When we pursue success or influence, it isn’t to puff up our ego (“Look at me! I’m the greatest!”) but rather for His glory and so that we can lead others to Him. Do we spend our time, energy, thoughts, money on the things of this world that are passing away, or do we spend them on Him Who endures forever?

            Mary is enjoying Heaven now, body and soul, because she lived for Heaven every day of her life. May we too live, not for the empty and passing things of this world, but for Heaven, for God, in Whom all our happiness is found.