Gospel for August 15 2021 – Luke 1:39-56
Gospel Reflections for August 15 2021
Body and Soul
The Feast of the Assumption today affirms that at the end of her life, Mary was “assumed body and soul” into heaven.
“Body and soul” are a puzzling combination of words. They are such different ideas. We also tend to think of ourselves more as a spiritual soul unfortunately stuck in a physical body. We might feel that way even more if our aging body is just not cooperating very well!
Yet we are not just spiritual beings; because we also have a body, and we are not just physical beings because we also have a soul. We are an interesting combination of both and so are called human beings. We start our body and soul together at the first moment of our conception, and as this Feast affirms, we remain together for all eternity, separated only for the short earthly experience of the time after our own physical death and the end of the world. (Time and space, of course, do not exist with God.)
Mary’s Assumption parallels the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, and is what awaits you at the end of your life. A resurrected body is somehow “glorified” as tradition says, although we don’t know exactly what that means. The Resurrected Jesus could eat regular food but also enter a locked room. While that is not easy to understand, it does sound like a wonderful body we might like to have!
Today’s Feast affirms that you should never look at your body as some kind of “enemy” but as a basic part of the combination of body and soul that makes up who you are, whether in sickness or in health. Your body is the way you interact with the world and the means through which the world acts upon you. Our Catholic faith affirms you should care for both your soul and body in the healthiest ways and appropriate to each. The care of your body and souls is your solemn responsibility.
How you respond to the body and soul that you have determines the kind of person you are. I certainly like the way Jesus responded! He is the way that we follow.
I also like the response we have today from Mary. She was faithful when carrying Jesus in her own body, when caring for Him in Bethlehem and Nazareth, when standing with Him at the cross, and when returning to Him at her Assumption.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious Jesus and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious Blessed Mother!!! May they touch our lives beautifully with their love and make our souls and bodies beautiful in their LOVE!!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
Fr. Dave
What a beautiful way of explaining the assumption of Mary.
How she was faithful to him while pregnant. When caring for him as a child &loving him in adult life & mission. Then on the cross & returning to him for eternity after her death on earth.
You might even say our rosary prayers are exercise for the soul.
God Bless
Jane
Mary is always the best example of a faithful follower of Our Lord.
Dear Father Dave,
Thank you for your important comments on today’s Gospel.
Christ’s resurrection and Mary’s ascension into heaven are so significant and representative of the afterlife … of its compelling truth!
My mother was in our home when she passed away. She was in her bed and suddenly her eyes were fixed upwards as though she were looking at someone. Then she spoke, but barely, and in words I didn’t understand, as if in another language. I stayed with her, but then left the room for a short time…. When I returned, she was gone.
I don’t know why I left at that moment. I knew death was near, yet I didn’t think it was that close. Perhaps, denial.
God bless you.
Kathleen
Thank you for sharing that beautiful memory of your mother’s final moments. Very meaningful.