She believed (Solemnity of Assumption, Aug. 15)

Sometimes, we are afraid or ashamed to show that we identify with Mary maybe because of what other people (from other faith denominations or belief systems) might say. Yet, we are not afraid to identify with world celebrities, warriors, heroes, heroines and achievers. We wear shirts emblazoned with pictures of celebrities; we have stickers of celebrity-pastors, footballers, musicians, and so on attached to our cars, at workplaces and homes. But we think it is stupid to have a sticker of Mary, to identify with her. We have a problem. And part of the problem is that we don’t fully understand or are yet to fully understand what this woman actually did for the humankind; the unique role that she played in our salvation history. And we thank God for a day like this so that we can briefly talk about this woman and possibly come to a better appreciation of the great role which she played in our salvation.

The first reading (Rev. 11:19a; 12:1-6a. 10a) is a vision of John the Beloved which presents Mary as a warrior, a brave woman and a fighter; not as that simple girl who was merely visited by angel Gabriel in Luke. From that vision of John, we see a woman who fought that we may be saved: she was courageous enough to stand against the dragon that came to devour her child. We see that from the beginning, her life was immersed in crisis because of the treasure which she carried for the salvation of humankind. From the time of annunciation, conception and all through her life, it was a constant struggle; she did not find it easy. At the annunciation, she accepted to do what appeared to be humanly impossible, putting her very life at risk (she must have been worried about how Joseph the husband-to-be would accept this development; worried about the cultural prescription of her time that a woman who gets pregnant outside wedlock must be stoned to death; worried about what her peers would say; and so on). At the dedication of her child in the Temple, a prophecy that a sword shall pierce her heart was released by Simeon the old man. A statement that might have drawn her into deeper reflection!

Despite her expectant condition, she went with haste to help her kinswoman Elizabeth. What is most paramount is the statement made by Elizabeth that “blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45). Mary risked her life, risked her reputation; put her life in the line because she believed that she had a treasure to deliver to the world, she believed that everything that God has spoken about her would come to fulfillment. This is the more reason why we should specially honor her and identify with her. 

Faith is the key to great possibilities. With faith, we recognize that we have great treasures to deliver to humanity and thus we can then scale every hurdle and surmount every challenge in order to make it happen. Mary is our great model of faith. The salvation of humanity was hinged on her acceptance of God’s plan to be used as a vessel which would carry and bring forth the Savior of the world. She could not have said YES to God if she was not a woman of faith. Her faith sustained and paved way for her all through her earthly struggles and pains. And at the end of her earthly struggles, she was carried off body and soul into heaven as a reward for her faithful, humble and obedient service to God and humanity. God is still looking for people to use for greater ends: not people of great might but people of great faith and humility. Are you available to be used by God?