WITH FIRE

Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire! These are the words of today’s antiphon of the responsorial psalm at Mass. They are a reference to Moses, but they would be perfect for Mary, the Mother of the Lord and our Mother, as we celebrate her Assumption—fire goes naturally upward, and so did Mary called by her Son to remain by his side for all eternity. She, who set out in haste to visit her cousin Elisabeth, ascends now to the true Mountain of the Lord, her heart full of joy, a joy that nothing will take away, a joy that she longs to share with us.

Mary is the light put on a lampstand to illumine everyone in her house, the Church (see Mt 5:15).  Like the good mother in a family, she gives light and brings warmth to the lives of her children. Mary is the burning bush that Moses saw in the desert. Her beauty attracts us to come closer to God, and reminds us to remove our sandals because our souls are also holy ground where our God wants to dwell. Mary, Our Mother, pray for us!