Ionesco suggested in his Journal that, if no-one died, then there would be no more hate; because there would always be enough time to try again . . . and that hatred is the expression of our anguish that there isn’t enough time.
Is this a Christian viewpoint ? Well, I don’t know; but it’s certainly true that most of us feel that life is not long enough to fully develop the faith and love which we need to achieve God’s will for us : so that death represents, as it were a transformation; an opportunity by which, through judgement, we either confirm our rejection of Him – and thus slip straight down the snake to Hell, from which we will never again emerge – or are forced to recognize and confront our failings and shortcomings, and wipe them out in the endurance of purgatory so that we can, in due time, enter Heaven.
The Old Testament suggested that some saintly people – Elijah, for instance – would transcend this progress, and be carried directly into the presence of God : and this idea was, if you like, confirmed by God’s decision to give our Blessed Lady strikingly direct access to Himself, by taking her straightway into Heaven.
So, in today’s celebration of her Glorious Assumption, we not only celebrate her particular role in our Redemption, and acknowledge her position at God’s right hand where she is particularly placed to intercede for us : we also recognize her unique end as proof of the destiny which is to be ours, providing we do not wilfully separate ourselves from God – the promise of joining her, one day, in Heaven after we have purged ourselves of the sins and sinfulness of which she was utterly devoid.
Let us rejoice today in Mother’s Assumption; let us rejoice for her that she sits with her Son, and let us also rejoice for ourselves, because she gives us the certainty that her experience is open to us if we will follow her example, and accept her prayers.
Is this a Christian viewpoint ? Well, I don’t know; but it’s certainly true that most of us feel that life is not long enough to fully develop the faith and love which we need to achieve God’s will for us : so that death represents, as it were a transformation; an opportunity by which, through judgement, we either confirm our rejection of Him – and thus slip straight down the snake to Hell, from which we will never again emerge – or are forced to recognize and confront our failings and shortcomings, and wipe them out in the endurance of purgatory so that we can, in due time, enter Heaven.
The Old Testament suggested that some saintly people – Elijah, for instance – would transcend this progress, and be carried directly into the presence of God : and this idea was, if you like, confirmed by God’s decision to give our Blessed Lady strikingly direct access to Himself, by taking her straightway into Heaven.
So, in today’s celebration of her Glorious Assumption, we not only celebrate her particular role in our Redemption, and acknowledge her position at God’s right hand where she is particularly placed to intercede for us : we also recognize her unique end as proof of the destiny which is to be ours, providing we do not wilfully separate ourselves from God – the promise of joining her, one day, in Heaven after we have purged ourselves of the sins and sinfulness of which she was utterly devoid.
Let us rejoice today in Mother’s Assumption; let us rejoice for her that she sits with her Son, and let us also rejoice for ourselves, because she gives us the certainty that her experience is open to us if we will follow her example, and accept her prayers.
Thanks for this entry.
ReplyDeleteI also found an interesting article about the Dormition/Assumption providing a broad perspective on the feast’s history and the various ways it is observed. Worth checking it out: http://dstp.cba.pl/?p=2399.