Sufficiency and Sacrifice

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to evaluate how we determine the level of sufficiency we maintain and our trust in Providence to supply what we need.

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

The Book of Proverbs offers a prayer against lying words and for sufficiency of goods.

* [30:5–6] Verse 5, like the confession of the king in Ps 18:31 (and its parallel, 2 Sm 22:31), expresses total confidence in the one who rescues from death. Agur has refused a word from any other except God and makes an act of trust in God.

* [30:7–9] A prayer against lying words and for sufficiency of goods, lest reaction to riches or destitution lead to offenses against God. (Proverbs, CHAPTER 30 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 119 delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts.

* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. (Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke advocates relying on Providence in The Mission of the Twelve

* [9:1–6] Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry: (1) proclaiming the kingdom (Lk 4:43; 8:1); (2) exorcising demons (Lk 4:33–37, 41; 8:26–39) and (3) healing the sick (Lk 4:38–40; 5:12–16, 17–26; 6:6–10; 7:1–10, 17, 22; Lk 8:40–56).

* [9:3] Take nothing for the journey: the absolute detachment required of the disciple (Lk 14:33) leads to complete reliance on God (Lk 12:22–31).

* [9:5] Shake the dust from your feet: see note on Mt 10:14. (Luke, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Nancy Shirley explains that we can forgive yet still expect accountability for the transgression.

As we say the Our Father at every mass, the idea of asking for forgiveness of our trespasses is contingent upon us forgiving those who have trespassed against us. Thus, we must forgive to be forgiven. It is a challenge for me at times to know if I have actually forgiven as I still remember very well the “trespass.” Yet, I do not seek retribution for the act, rather just a feeling of wanting to shake the dust from my feet and move on and no longer include this person as part of my life. The struggle is real and the solution allusive to me still. I want to be loving and forgiving but my humanness does not want to expose myself again to the hurt or damages caused by the person. The question remains to me: can I forgive seventy-seven times and still shake the dust and walk away?

As I was thinking about a song to connect to this reflection, I thought of the song about being a nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody. I got into the car and the first song on K-Love was the very song I was considering. Another God-wink!! Here it is …

Nobody by Casting Crowns (Shirley, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus gave power and authority to his apostles,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon's wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed... He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in the passage from Proverbs today the first grouping of the text are the words of God and the direction to hold to them. The author offers a prayer not to have too much, not too little but only what he needs. The Gospel presents the mandate to the Apostles to take nothing and God will provide. In Luke, trust in Providence is part of reaching out to the anawim, those excluded from the society. Friar Jude notes that Apostles should become anawim to trust in God and know you will not make it without Him.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 9:1-6 comments that the message of Jesus, of the apostles, and of the Church is twofold. First, “The kingdom of God is at hand!” Everyone welcomes that exciting news. But then comes the call: “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Change your heart. Turn away from sin. Humble yourself before the Lord.

This is where we get caught. We forget that we are sinners. We forget that Jesus came to take away our sins—and to do it not by himself but very much with our cooperation. Or we forget that repentance is a lifelong pursuit as we continue to learn more about ourselves and the areas of our lives that we might try to shield from the Lord.

But God is persistent. And he is patient. The key is to not close the door on him abruptly when you feel resistance in your heart. Instead, let him in and just listen. Give him the chance to show you the freedom that comes when you repent and believe!

“Lord, help me to welcome you into all aspects of my life.” (Meditation on Luke 9:1-6, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, reminds us that embodying nonviolence requires facing the structures of violence in our culture, church, and world. We seem to have assumed that the individual must live the gospel but that the corporate church doesn’t have to. We Christians expected individuals to be poor while the institution remained rich. This cannot be right. We have to live the gospel not just individually but institutionally, socially, and corporately.

Having traveled and taught in many countries, I have learned to recognize many of the beautiful aspects of the United States. We have historically enjoyed many privileges in terms of freedom, education, and resources. Yet I have also seen America’s shadow side, particularly our insistence on individuality. If our prayer journey does not lead us to a collective sense of servanthood and responsibility for the world, I think we will have failed in our willingness to deal with the violence of the world. I think the violence will continue as long as much of the world views us as a part of an oppressive system. In many respects, they’re not wrong! Only one thing is more difficult to deal with than the individual ego, and that’s the corporate ego, which is usually more disguised, protected, and denied. Unless we’re willing to face it, we will continue to participate in cycles of anger, hatred, and violence rather than healing and justice. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

Richard ties our acceptance of violence to the belief that Jesus’s violent death was necessary for God to forgive us:

Our commonly accepted atonement theory—especially as accomplished through the life, suffering, and death of Jesus—reaffirmed our narrow notion of retributive justice and legitimated a notion of “good and necessary violence” all the way down. As long as we employ any retributive notion of God’s justice, we trade our distinctive Christian message for the cold, hard justice that has prevailed in most cultures throughout history. We offer no redemptive alternative to history but actually sanctify the very “powers and principalities” that Paul says unduly control the world (Ephesians 3:9–10, 6:12). We stay inside of what some call the “myth of redemptive violence,” which might just be the dominant story line of history. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the consolation of the Spirit as we work through our motivation to work with Christ in the environment of our community to be apostles of faith, hope, and love.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/9?1 

Meditation on Luke 9:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/23/1674954/ 

Proverbs, CHAPTER 30 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/30? 

Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Corporate Violence Met by Corporate Good. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/corporate-violence-met-by-corporate-good/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Gave Them Authority over All Demons and Diseases. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/? 

Shirley, N. (n.d.). Daily Reflection September 23, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-23-2026 

Beliefs Blessings and Woes

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to prepare for the “cognitive dissonance” between our beliefs of good life and the woes of the anawim.

Answers for the Anawim

In the Reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul offers Advice to Virgins and Widows.

* [7:1–7] References to Paul’s own behavior (1 Cor 7:7–8) suggest that his celibate way of life and his preaching to the unmarried (cf. 1 Cor 7:25–35) have given some the impression that asceticism within marriage, i.e., suspension of normal sexual relations, would be a laudable ideal. Paul points to their experience of widespread immorality to caution them against overestimating their own strength (1 Cor 7:2); as individuals they may not have the particular gift that makes such asceticism feasible (1 Cor 7:7) and hence are to abide by the principle to be explained in 1 Cor 7:17–24.

* [7:17–24] On the ground that distinct human conditions are less significant than the whole new existence opened up by God’s call, Paul urges them to be less concerned with changing their states of life than with answering God’s call where it finds them. The principle applies both to the married state (1 Cor 7:1–16) and to the unmarried (1 Cor 7:25–38).

* [7:25–28] Paul is careful to explain that the principle of 1 Cor 7:17 does not bind under sin but that present earthly conditions make it advantageous for the unmarried to remain as they are (1 Cor 7:28). These remarks must be complemented by the statement about “particular gifts” from 1 Cor 7:7.

* [7:29–31] The world…is passing away: Paul advises Christians to go about the ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 45 proclaims majestic beauty is a sign of the future prosperity of the royal house.

* [Psalm 45] A song for the Davidic king’s marriage to a foreign princess from Tyre in Phoenicia. The court poet sings (Ps 45:2, 18) of God’s choice of the king (Ps 45:3, 8), of his role in establishing divine rule (Ps 45:4–8), and of his splendor as he waits for his bride (Ps 45:9–10). The woman is to forget her own house when she becomes wife to the king (Ps 45:11–13). Her majestic beauty today is a sign of the future prosperity of the royal house (Ps 45:14–17). The Psalm was retained in the collection when there was no reigning king, and came to be applied to the king who was to come, the messiah. (Psalms, PSALM 45 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents the Sermon on the Plain.

* [6:20–26] The introductory portion of the sermon consists of blessings and woes that address the real economic and social conditions of humanity (the poor—the rich; the hungry—the satisfied; those grieving—those laughing; the outcast—the socially acceptable). By contrast, Matthew emphasizes the religious and spiritual values of disciples in the kingdom inaugurated by Jesus (“poor in spirit,” Mt 5:3; “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” Mt 5:6). In the sermon, blessed extols the fortunate condition of persons who are favored with the blessings of God; the woes, addressed as they are to the disciples of Jesus, threaten God’s profound displeasure on those so blinded by their present fortunate situation that they do not recognize and appreciate the real values of God’s kingdom. In all the blessings and woes, the present condition of the persons addressed will be reversed in the future. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

David Crawford has read the Sermon on the Plain in several translations in the hope to gain a new, Spirit-led perspective. The Message translation opens with:

You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all. God’s kingdom is there for the finding.

But it was the last part that really spoke to him:

But it’s trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you’ll ever get.

And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long.

And it’s trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games. There’s suffering to be met, and you’re going to meet it.

There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

I am embarrassed to think how often I let anxieties take control of me, and in the process take my focus away from the One who faithfully provides all I need. I am embarrassed to think how many times I’ve viewed my successes as the result of my own creativity, intelligence, or effort, and then fail to be appropriately grateful. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

Loving God, you love me and provide all I need. Forgive me the many times that I forget to thank you, that I fail to trust in you. I surrender my anxieties and fears to you. Let me find your joy as I serve you by serving others, as I love you by loving others. Thank you for everything. Amen. (Crawford, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus, though rich, became poor for us,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"'Blessed,' it says, 'are the poor.' Not all the poor are blessed, for poverty is neutral. The poor can be either good or evil, unless, perhaps, the blessed pauper is to be understood as he whom the prophet described, saying, 'A righteous poor man is better than a rich liar' (Proverbs 19:22). Blessed is the poor man who cried and whom the Lord heard (Psalm 34:6). Blessed is the man poor in offense. Blessed is the man poor in vices. Blessed is the poor man in whom the prince of this world (John 14:30) finds nothing. Blessed is the poor man who is like that poor Man who, although he was rich, became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9). Matthew fully revealed this when he said, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' (Matthew 5:3). One poor in spirit is not puffed up, is not exalted in the mind of his own flesh. This beatitude is first, when I have laid aside every sin, and I have taken off all malice, and I am content with simplicity, destitute of evils. All that remains is that I regulate my conduct. For what good does it do me to lack worldly goods, unless I am meek and gentle?" (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.53-54) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today. In Paul’s time the world was believed to end marked by resurrection of the dead.  There may be little time before Jesus returns and people should remain in the state you are in. There is not time to change status. Then time went by and Jesus would return like a thief in the night so always be ready. The Beatitudes in Luke are set on the plain. In Matthew, they are part of the Sermon on the Mount. The format in Luke of four blessings and four curses is the more traditional pattern of most formulas in the bible. Matthew offers very spiritual blessings and Luke presents the poor in reality. In Luke, Jesus reaches out to the “anawim”, the financially and spiritually poor who have no security of their own. They were ready to embrace Jesus but the rich, already fully content, rejected Him. Friar Jude urges us to recognize our brokenness and to hold on to God for dear life.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:20-26 comments that Jesus wants all his children to be filled with his blessings. He wants the hungry to be filled, both spiritually and materially. And he wants the well-fed to continue to prosper but also to have his heart of compassion and provide for those who are poor.

As we make Jesus our primary focus, as we seek to be filled with his love above all else, we’ll find our priorities changing. We’ll no longer be content only with meeting our own needs. Our eyes will be more opened to those living in want, and we’ll want to help them. We’ll see how empty a life centered only on ourselves truly is. We’ll see how it is a life of “woe” even here and now.

So fill yourself with Jesus. And let him help you fill the needs of those around you.

“Lord, teach me to be generous to others as you have been generous to me!” (Meditation on Luke 6:20-26, n.d.)

Brian McLaren normalizes painful experiences of doubt. For many of us, faith is our map of reality, our map of the universe. It tells us where we are, where we’ve been, where we’re going, where to turn. But as soon as our trusted map stops matching reality, we feel disoriented. We have no idea where to turn, what to do, how to survive.

This terror is especially real for people … who were taught that God is an almighty supreme being who demands absolute perfection and submission, a strict and demanding father, and a tough and exacting judge. Yes, we were also taught God is loving, gracious, and forgiving, but the one requirement God demands above all others is precisely the thing that doubters struggle with most: God demands firm, unwavering faith, which we understood to mean correct beliefs. To question those beliefs throws open the terrifying possibility that God might at any moment turn against us, punish us, reject us, maybe even send us to hell if we don’t get our beliefs straight and hold them tight, without doubt…. 

Doubt can breach the psychological fortress in which we’ve felt safe, tear up the internal map by which we’ve navigated the world, and threaten to separate us from God’s favor and love. (McLaren, n.d.)

We are grateful to the Spirit for awakening our understanding of the real economic and social conditions of humanity and guiding our response as people anointed in Baptism as priest, prophet, and leader in our environment. 

References

Crawford, D. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton On Line Ministries. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-9-2026 

Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?20 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). The Cost of Doubt. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-cost-of-doubt/ 

Meditation on Luke 6:20-26. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/09/1665864/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/7?25 

Psalms, PSALM 45 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/45?11 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Blessed Are You Poor - Yours Is the Kingdom of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 9, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Blessed Are You

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invite us to reflect on the battle against evil that is celebrated in the life and Assumption of Mary.

Basilica of Saint Mary

The Reading from Revelation presents The Woman and the Dragon.

* [12:1–6] The woman adorned with the sun, the moon, and the stars (images taken from Gn 37:9–10) symbolizes God’s people in the Old and the New Testament. The Israel of old gave birth to the Messiah (Rev 12:5) and then became the new Israel, the church, which suffers persecution by the dragon (Rev 12:6, 13–17); cf. Is 50:1; 66:7; Jer 50:12. This corresponds to a widespread myth throughout the ancient world that a goddess pregnant with a savior was pursued by a horrible monster; by miraculous intervention, she bore a son who then killed the monster.

* [12:2] Because of Eve’s sin, the woman gives birth in distress and pain (Gn 3:16; cf. Is 66:7–14).

* [12:3] Huge red dragon: the Devil or Satan (cf. Rev 12:9; 20:2), symbol of the forces of evil, a mythical monster known also as Leviathan (Ps 74:13–14) or Rahab (Jb 26:12–13; Ps 89:11). Seven diadems: these are symbolic of the fullness of the dragon’s sovereignty over the kingdoms of this world; cf. Christ with many diadems (Rev 19:12).

* [12:5] Rule,iron rod: fulfilled in Rev 19:15; cf. Ps 2:9. Was caught up to God: reference to Christ’s ascension.

* [12:6] God protects the persecuted church in the desert, the traditional Old Testament place of refuge for the afflicted, according to the typology of the Exodus; see note on Rev 11:2.

* [12:10] The accuser: the meaning of the Hebrew word “Satan,” found in Rev 12:9; Jb 1–2; Zec 3:1; 1 Chr 21:1; he continues to accuse Christ’s disciples. (Revelation, CHAPTER 12 |USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 45 is a song for the Davidic king’s marriage to a foreign princess.

* [Psalm 45] A song for the Davidic king’s marriage to a foreign princess from Tyre in Phoenicia. The court poet sings (Ps 45:2, 18) of God’s choice of the king (Ps 45:3, 8), of his role in establishing divine rule (Ps 45:4–8), and of his splendor as he waits for his bride (Ps 45:9–10). The woman is to forget her own house when she becomes wife to the king (Ps 45:11–13). Her majestic beauty today is a sign of the future prosperity of the royal house (Ps 45:14–17). The Psalm was retained in the collection when there was no reigning king, and came to be applied to the king who was to come, the messiah. (Psalms, PSALM 45 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to Corinthians asserts Christ as the Firstfruits.

* [15:20–28] After a triumphant assertion of the reality of Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor 15:20a), Paul explains its positive implications and consequences. As a soteriological event of both human (1 Cor 15:20–23) and cosmic (1 Cor 15:24–28) dimensions, Jesus’ resurrection logically and necessarily involves ours as well.

* [15:20] The firstfruits: the portion of the harvest offered in thanksgiving to God implies the consecration of the entire harvest to come. Christ’s resurrection is not an end in itself; its finality lies in the whole harvest, ourselves.

* [15:21–22] Our human existence, both natural and supernatural, is corporate, involves solidarity. In Adam…in Christ: the Hebrew word ’ādām in Genesis is both a common noun for mankind and a proper noun for the first man. Paul here presents Adam as at least a literary type of Christ; the parallelism and contrast between them will be developed further in 1 Cor 15:45–49 and in Rom 5:12–21.

* [15:24–28] Paul’s perspective expands to cosmic dimensions, as he describes the climax of history, the end. His viewpoint is still christological, as in 1 Cor 15:20–23. 1 Cor 15:24, 28 describe Christ’s final relations to his enemies and his Father in language that is both royal and military; 1 Cor 15:25–28 inserts a proof from scripture (Ps 110:1; 8:6) into this description. But the viewpoint is also theological, for God is the ultimate agent and end, and likewise soteriological, for we are the beneficiaries of all the action.

* [15:26] The last enemy…is death: a parenthesis that specifies the final fulfillment of the two Old Testament texts just referred to, Ps 110:1 and Ps 8:7. Death is not just one cosmic power among many, but the ultimate effect of sin in the universe (cf. 1 Cor 15:56; Rom 5:12). Christ defeats death where it prevails, in our bodies. The destruction of the last enemy is concretely the “coming to life” (1 Cor 15:22) of “those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor 15:23). (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents Mary Visits Elizabeth celebrated in The Canticle of Mary.

* [1:43] Even before his birth, Jesus is identified in Luke as the Lord.

* [1:45] Blessed are you who believed: Luke portrays Mary as a believer whose faith stands in contrast to the disbelief of Zechariah (Lk 1:20). Mary’s role as believer in the infancy narrative should be seen in connection with the explicit mention of her presence among “those who believed” after the resurrection at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:14).

* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker. (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Andy Alexander, SJ, comments that we reflect upon the meaning of the resurrection for us - as we do every time we celebrate a funeral - we are brought into the mystery of what happens to us after we die, after there is no more life in the body, when we pass into eternity and time is irrelevant. How does Christ’s victory over sin and death touch and transform our mortal bodies? “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.” [Catechism of the Catholic Church, #966]

Dear Lord, help us to live our lives with true hope in your gift of eternal life. Take away our fears, comfort us in the trials and crosses of our daily life. Help us to imagine the joy of a great reunion at the Banquet of Heaven. And, please, let our anticipation of that joy free us from the worries and anxieties we face today. Let Mary assist us and guide us on our path to that life in you.

Hail, Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with you. 

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus! 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, 

now and at the hour of our death. (Alexander, n.d.)

Why is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Fete nationale de l”Acadie?

Google AI responds:

The Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15 became the Fête nationale de l’Acadie (National Acadian Day) during the first Acadian National Convention in Memramcook, New Brunswick, in 1881. Delegates chose it to honor the Virgin Mary as the patron saint of the Acadian people and to assert a distinct cultural identity separate from other French Canadians. In the 1881 debate leaders met to unite and organize the Acadian people.Some wanted June 24 (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day), the holiday for French Canadians. Father Marcel-François Richard argued for August 15 instead. He stated that Acadians needed their own unique day and patron. Reasons for Choosing August 15 Patron Saint: Acadians held a deep religious devotion to Mary as Notre-Dame de l'Assomption. Cultural Distinction: It separated Acadian national identity from Quebec's Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. Practical Timing: June 24 conflicted with the spring planting season. Historical Resilience: It honored survival after the Great Upheaval (Grand Dérangement). (Google AI)

Don Schwager quotes “Christ the fruit of the faithful,” by Ambrose of Milan (339-397 A.D)

"You see that Mary did not doubt but believed and therefore obtained the fruit of faith. 'Blessed ... are you who have believed.' But you also are blessed who have heard and believed. For a soul that has believed has both conceived and bears the Word of God and declares his works. Let the soul of Mary be in each of you, so that it magnifies the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each of you, so that it rejoices in God (Luke 1:46-47). She is the one mother of Christ according to the flesh, yet Christ is the Fruit of all according to faith. Every soul receives the Word of God, provided that, undefiled and unstained by vices, it guards its purity with inviolate modesty. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.26) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the passage in Revelation that describes the miraculous vision of the author who sees a woman crowned and under her feet the crushing of the Serpent. This is the image from the Immaculate Conception showing Mary ready to give birth, the image that would signify the Church and Mary as the Mother and Model of the church. Satan and the stars under her feet representing the angels in rebellion The Child is born and taken to the Throne of God and protects the Woman who is the Church! In Corinthians, Paul proclaims the Resurrection and Christ as the first born of Mary who ascends into heaven body and soul. The Assumption raises the question: did Mary die? There are tombs for her in some cities. The Assumption may indicate her falling asleep and being assumed into heaven. The child of Elizabeth, John the Baptist gives witness to the Presence of Jesus in the womb. Elizabeth greets Mary with the preface to the Magnificat. Dualism in the Canticle is a typical technique in Hebrew poetry. Luke is telling us what Mary said using pre-existing prayers. Friar Jude underlines that the “anawim” are the ones ready to accept the greatness of God and their need for God.

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 Heaven is our destiny as well. As the Catechism tells us, Mary’s assumption is “an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians” (966). Our resurrected bodies will retain our five senses: we will be able to perceive beauty, hear beautiful music, and feel the embrace of a loved one. At the same time, we won’t have to contend with disordered passions like hatred or resentment, and we will never again fall sick or die.

Today, let this truth fill you with hope. Let it help you to cling even more closely to the Lord, especially when life here on earth seems hard. Keep your eyes fixed on the great plans God has for you. Eternal life will be more amazing than you can ever imagine. Just ask your mother Mary!

“Mary, Mother of God, pray that I would place all my hope in your Son, Jesus, and the life he has won for me!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:20-27, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author Jon Sweeney who invites us to pray like Francis of Assisi.

He’s taken a friend with him, Brother Leo, but asked Leo to only check in on him once per day…. Leo hears Francis’ voice and his prayer. “Who are you, God?! And who am I?” Francis keeps repeating this doubting prayer “and nothing else,” the text tells us. It is a yearning, as were all those times when he was looking and reaching up, but it was also a repeated ritual. Somehow, the meaning of a religious life is found in the repetition of certain simple, eternal questions….

 

It may be that such eternal, elementary, reaching prayers are not so much a human expression of need and desire, as they are a desire for God that comes from that human place inside us where God resides. Because then, “Who are you, God? And who am I?” would be like a connective tissue of spirit to Spirit, or even more, of one unified spirit speaking as if in a single voice. In this way, one of the early Hasidic rabbis, Pinchas of Koretz (eighteenth-century Ukraine), taught that sometimes “The prayers you pray are the very presence of God.” (Rohr, n.d.)

We celebrate the Spirit and the response of Mother Mary “let it be done to me according to Your Will” as the aspiration of all the siblings of Jesus seeking the fullness of life.

References

Alexander, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection August 15, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-15-2026 

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?39 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:20-27. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/15/1645931/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/15? 

Psalms, PSALM 45 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/45?10 

Revelation, CHAPTER 12 |USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/12 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Mysticism of Francis and Clare: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/mysticism-of-francis-and-clare-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). My Spirit Rejoices in God My Savior. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2026&date=aug15a