In our Gospel reading today we have one of the most important songs in the scriptures.
In the first part of the song Mary tells about her happiness for what God has done in her life. The rest of the canticle tells of the way God has worked wonders through all time by His mighty deeds.
Mary exclaims what she understands – that God has kept His promise.
That is what we are celebrating today — a kept promise. And it is the most important promise in all of history. It is God’s promise of salvation.
God sent his only son Jesus into our world to complete this mission. Jesus brought us salvation which means that he saved us from sin and death so we could one day be in heaven with Him. God wants us to be with Him, forever and always. He wants us to live forever in his Kingdom of Glory.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Dormition and Assumption of Mary. Her falling asleep in death and her assumption into heaven. This means that Mary was treated in a special way when her life ended.
Why did Mary get this special treatment?
Mary kept all her promises to God and she did exactly as God wanted her to do. She showed her love for God by letting God make her the earthly mother of Jesus. She is just like our mothers – a woman filled with love for her child.
Jesus was able to come to us and save us because Mary said yes. She could have said no. She could have run away from something that was hard, but she decided to do what God wanted.
There is a great puzzle. If Jesus won our salvation by becoming human, dying on the cross and rising from the dead why is there still evil in the world?
This is part of the great mystery that is salvation. There are three moments of salvation: salvation was, salvation is now, and salvation is to come. It is the past, present and future of our ability to be with God.
Jesus achieved our salvation in the historical past, 2000 years ago. His salvation is present in our world right now, especially when He comes to us in the Holy Mass. And his salvation is to come in all its fullness at the end of time.
The point is that we have to cooperate. We have to make the right choices. We have to say yes to God. We have to reject sin no matter how easy or justified it seems. We have to do our part and work hard at keeping our promise to God. We have every opportunity to cooperate – it is an eternal opportunity.
However, I urge you to choose now. Say yes to God while you have time, here and now.
What we are celebrating today is a promise kept.
Make your choice and you too will celebrate one day because of the promise you keep – your promise to God.