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Sunday, August 15, 2004

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Assumption of Mary


Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10
1 Corinthians 15:20-26
Psalm 45
Luke 1:39-56

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your mission is _____

"Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" —Luke 1:43

Marian doctrines are primarily not about Mary but about Jesus (see Catechism, 487), especially about Jesus' Incarnation and His divinity. For example, Mary's immaculate conception, which is the basis for her assumption into heaven, miraculously prepared her to be the mother of God. Mary's immaculate conception cannot be properly understood if it is isolated from Jesus' Incarnation and His divinity. Mary's life and great graces are at the service of proclaiming Jesus is Lord, that is, God.

Our lives, like Mary's, should also be for proclaiming Jesus' divinity. When we visit someone and share our faith, we pray that our listeners will acknowledge that Jesus is God, as Elizabeth did when visited by Mary (Lk 1:43). We have a monumental mission ahead of us. Arianism, the denial of Jesus' divinity, continues to be the heresy of heresies. For example, over one billion Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet but not as God. Over two-and-a-half billion Chinese have no awareness of Jesus' divinity. Well over two-thirds of the world do not know or believe that Jesus is God. Even many Christians may be shaky in their faith in Jesus' divinity and need to repent with Thomas and proclaim of Jesus: "My Lord and my God!" (Jn 20:28) Let us live to proclaim Jesus' divinity.

Prayer:  Father, may I not be paralyzed by the enormity of my mission. May I proclaim Jesus' divinity one day, one place, and one person at a time.

Promise:  "Christ must reign until God has put all enemies under His feet." —1 Cor 15:25

Praise:  "God Who is mighty has done great things for Me, holy is His name" (Lk 1:49).

Reference:  (Proclaim Jesus to others by using the Bible. For encouragement, order our series on Biblical Counseling on audio AV 13A-1, AV 13A-3, AV 13B-1 or video starting with V-13A.)

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Richard L. Klug, January 16, 2004


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 26, 2004