May the Lord give you Peace !

On  the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven our thoughts are filled with joy. This is the joy that at times the world is seeking in vain because it gives much importance on material things that, in fact, have got an ending, that pass and leave quite an emptiness.

Joy is a gift of Divine origin. If the world wants to meet true joy in its demands, then the feast of Our Lady’s Assumption into Heaven can help for a relevant answer.

Mary, the Mother of God, humbly accepted the trials and sufferings, which were neither easy nor few. In her mission, though being the Mother of God, she was not exempt of their heaviness but, on the other hand, she hoped in Divine providence and loved the Word of God. Determined and convinced of her Faith, she was both the Mother of God and the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, the Lord.

How many times were we breathless of situations that went beyond our control ? How many times, in solitude and maybe sadness did we feel so lonely to tackle our daily life ? How many times did misunderstandings bring us discouragement and sadness ? There are many other questions we might ask and, in some way, feel our human sufferings to-day around us – in families, in hospitals, among our senior brothers and sisters, among youths and children.

But, may I ask, how many times did we succeed in overcoming situations that suffocated our daily living ? Or, how many times, did we find solidarity by someone who really cares ?

Getting older and more mature we realize that the problems we had several years ago may now be considered surpassed. This is “experience”. I think we can share our experience with the ones that suffer….. to help them and explain to them that every cloud has a silver lining.

…..A word, a smile, caring, true friendship, attention to the ones that feel lonely or that are being put aside – and I’m sure there are so many in the world to-day –  can help people find true joy which I personally define as the smile of creation on the world or God’s smile on us. We are instruments to bring joy to the ones that are suffering. That is our call as disciples of Jesus. Mary, the Mother of God, brought true joy to humanity. She gave birth to the Son of God, our Saviour. He saved humanity through his passion, death and resurrection. Under the Cross, she was pronounced the Mother of the Church by the same Jesus Christ and in the Assumption, she is showing humanity the path that gives true life and joy.

The Assumption of Our Lady helps us to hope for determination, to help the needy find a way to smile. To-day, we are invited to face life in the strict sense of the word, not alone but together and in the presence of God, as pilgrims in the heart of the Church. The Blessed Virgin and Mother of God’s Assumption into heaven is a reflection of the saved humanity and its destination.

I wish you all the smile of happiness. May determination and patience be present in hard times. May we all hope for and experience  the true joy that our Lord promised us, through the intercession of Mary the Mother of God.

fr. Sandro Overend ofm