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August 15, 2005
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From the Liturgy of the Word

Reading I
Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

God's temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.

She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16

R. (10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father's house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold

Homily - CatholicExchange.com

"Will You Come the Rest of the Way?"
Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

There was a king whose only son was an angry, rebellious young man. Try as he might, the king could not find a way to his son's heart. And finally one day the boy gathered up his things and rode off into the sunset. The father tracked his journey across many lands, waiting patiently till his son would remember where his real home was.
When the time seemed right, the father sent a message, "Come home, my son," he said. "I love you, and I want you at my side."

The son replied with a sad heart, "Dear father, I can't come home. Too much has passed between us. The distance is too far."

The father replied,
"Return as far as you can, my son, and I will come to you the rest of the way."
++++++++++++++
As we celebrate this feast of Jesus's mother, our eyes turn where Mary is always pointing, to her Son, who understands us so well. He knows the baggage we're carrying, the fears and angers, hatreds and prejudices, sins, confusions, and all sorts of junk. He knows! And knowing all that, He says to us what the king said to his son, "Return as far as you can, and I will come to you the rest of the way."

That's what God did for us, when He made Mary Jesus's mother. He came out to a spot where we could meet Him and not be afraid, and where we could finally open our arms and say, "Father!"

God continues to "come the rest of the way" for us every day. In doing that, He's not just taking care of us, He's showing us what He wants us to become, and that is reconcilers, people who have learned the habit of coming the rest of the way for one another.

Too much of life is frittered away with people getting angry and staying angry at one another. Angry at their parents and spouses, brothers and sisters, angry at their colleagues, their clergy, their contractor, and God knows who else. What a waste, especially when we know that so often the evil is in the eye of the beholder and nowhere else!

So why not pay attention to what the Lord is trying to teach us?

Here it is: It makes no difference who's at fault. Take the initiative, the way the Lord does. Seek out the person you dubbed "my enemy." Name your hurt, your shame, your sorrow, your resentment, whatever it is that needs naming, and begin the search for peace ... and leave your calculator at home!

Help the other person break out of the trap built by anger, resentment, or shame. Help the other save face, if that's the issue. Do what needs to be done, and don't hold back. It's hard work, no doubt. But in doing it we become like God, and our hearts will grow large and happy and full — just like God's!

That is God's promise, and He always keeps His word.

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