Mary is the fulfilment of God’s promise to take us to Himself. Her Assumption is for us a sign of hope and consolation. The Church has declared this Feast as a Holy Day of Obligation so that we take time to attend Mass and thank God for all He has done for Mary. By celebrating this Feast Day, we are reminded of the destiny to which we are called which is to live forever in happiness and perfect fulfilment with God our Father. Our Blessed Mother Mary has reached that goal already. Mary is the masterpiece of God’s creation. The Assumption was a fitting conclusion to the holiness and sinlessness of her life.
Our Lady has always been a special part of my prayer life and devotion. In June I was privileged to have spent three nights at the Shrine in Knock. It is estimated that at least three million people visit Knock every year and from April to October is known as the pilgrimage season. On Saturday 22nd June there were at least 4,000 people in the Basilica for the 3.00pm Mass with the Anointing of the Sick and the Mass concluded with the Blessed Sacrament Procession. The sick and elderly and families were strongly represented as indeed were many people from the Travelling Community whose children were beautifully dressed and behaved impeccably. All pilgrims carry in their hearts the favours received through Mary’s intercession be it the grace to bear the burdens of life or in gratitude for favours granted through prayer to Our Lady.
We each have our own crosses, trials and tribulations to bear as we live our mortal lives and being human, we might be tempted to think that we are never given the right cross.
Even Our Lady did not understand the crosses and sorrows that afflicted her in life.
She did not understand why her Son left her and St Joseph for three days which left
them looking anxiously for Him and on finding Him preaching in the Temple at age 12 she asked herself WHAT CHILD IS THIS? When I pray this decade of the Rosary, I remember Madeline McCann and I tell God YOU KNOW WHERE MADELINE IS SO PLEASE GET HER HOME.
Those who visit Knock come from far and near and all walks of life. In our lifetime we have seen Pope John Paul 2nd and Pope Francis together with the President of the USA spend time in the Shrine Chapel. We are told that the President had a private conversation with the priest who had given the Last Rites to his son, Joseph Robinette Biden known as Beau, who died in 2015 of a brain tumour. That must have been a very moving experience. Many a pilgrim has received grace, hope courage and consolation at Knock’s Holy Shrine. It may have been in the Chapel of the Apparition, the Confessional, the Anointing of the Sick or the Rosary Way. Mary leads each one to her Son Jesus and with full confidence repeats what she said at Cana “DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU”
Sr Assumpta Walsh
August 2024
Comments