Today we celebrate Mary's assumption into Heaven in both her body and soul. In today's Gospel we learn about how Mary visited and assisted her cousin Elisabeth for 3 months, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, despite her old age.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognise when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life. Amen
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,“Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”
Mary remained with her about three monthsand then returned to her home.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A-51u9ORro (Credit to Catholic Kids Media)
Say: We are celebrating an important holy day in our Church year. On August 15 we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day we remember that Mary was taken to heaven, body and soul. Our Gospel reading for today is taken from Luke's Gospel, and it tells us why Mary received such a special privilege from God. Let's listen carefully to this Gospel.
Ask: Who are the two people spoken about in today's Gospel? (Elizabeth and Mary) What is about to happen to each of them? (Both of them are expecting a baby.) Say: Remember that Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist. She was very old and had not yet had any children. But God chose her and Zechariah to be the parents of John the Baptist, who was to announce Jesus' coming. How does Mary respond to Elizabeth's greeting? (She sings a song of praise to God.)
Ask: What are some of the things for which Mary praises God? (Accept all reasonable answers.) Say: Mary's faith allowed her to recognize God's work in her life and in her people's history. She is a model for the Church because of her participation in God's plan of salvation.
Say: Using Mary's song of praise as a model, let's write a prayer of praise thanking God for the things that God is doing in our lives and in our world today. Work together as a group to prepare your song of praise.
Conclude in prayer together, using the song of praise that your group has written.
Father in heaven, for the conversion of sinners, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
