From the Pastor’s Corner – Fr. Justus Alaeto

The Assumption of Mary, Mother of God, and Queen of Heaven

Happy Feast/Solemnity of Assumption, dear my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Every August fifteenth of the year, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is our faith and belief that Mary was assumed, body and soul, into Heaven. The first thing to understand and integrate, is the identity of Mary, as Mother of God. Mary has been identified in many scriptural passages as the “Mother of Jesus the Savior” (Cf, John 2:1; Mat. 1:18, 2:11, 12:46). Since Jesus is God (cf. John 1:1), Mary must be recognized as the one who bore God in her womb (Theotókos, Council of Ephesus, 431 AD) i.e., the mother of God.

Evidently, the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, applied to Jesus and Mary in Matthew 1:23. So, Mary is that “Virgin” who gives birth to Emmanuel (God is with us). Also, we can clearly witness the most outstanding Scriptural support for Mary as the Mother of God, in Luke 1:43, where Elizabeth speaks of Mary as “Mother of my Lord.” According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Greek word for Lord used is “Kyrios,” which was a translation of the Hebrew word for God’s personal name, “YHWH” (YAHWEH), (spoken by Jews as Adonai or Lord), (CCC 446). Some, has denied Mary, as Mother of God. For example, the “heresy of Nestorianism” (Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople c.381-451), was among who denies the title of Mary as “Mother of God. Nestorius’s theological concept of Incarnation, was wrong, in the sense that Nestorius, could not understand how God, who is incapable of suffering, could suffer on the Cross. Nestorius, therefore understood the Incarnation as the “inhabitation of Jesus by the Divine Word of God.” Nestorius was totally wrong on that position, and his theology was condemned by the Council of Ephesus in 431, which affirmed Mary as the true “Theotokos” or “God-Bearer” (Birth-giver of God or Mother of God). Here is what the council said about the Incarnation:

“For this was not an ordinary man who was at first begotten of the holy Virgin, and then the Word descended upon him; rather, [the Word] united flesh from his mother’s womb and is said to have undergone begetting in the flesh in order to take to himself flesh of his own ... For this reason [the holy Fathers] have not hesitated to speak of the holy Virgin as Theótokos [Mother of God], not certainly because the nature of the Word or his divinity had the origin of its being from the holy Virgin, but because from her was generated his holy body, animated by a rational soul, a body hypostatically united to the Word; and thus it is said that [the Word] was begotten according to the flesh (Council Ephesus 431, Denz-H. 251).

 

Also, in reaffirming the Divine truth, inspired by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, St. John Paul II (in 1994), and the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East issued a Common Christological stand, against the Nestorian heresy. It was declared: 

“His Holiness John Paul II, Bishop of Rome and Pope of the Catholic Church, and His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, give thanks to God who has prompted them to this new brotherly meeting. Both of them consider this meeting as a basic step on the way towards the full communion to be restored between their Churches. They can indeed, from now on, proclaim together before the world their common faith in the mystery of the Incarnation.” Together they proclaimed: “Christ therefore is not an "ordinary man" whom God adopted in order to reside in him and inspire him, as in the righteous ones and the prophets. But the same God the Word, begotten of his Father before all worlds without beginning according to his divinity, was born of a mother without a father in the last times according to his humanity. The humanity to which the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth always was that of the Son of God himself. That is the reason why the Assyrian Church of the East is praying the Virgin Mary as "the Mother of Christ our God and Savior." In the light of this same faith the Catholic tradition addresses the Virgin Mary as "the Mother of God" and also as "the Mother of Christ." We both recognize the legitimacy and rightness of these expressions of the same faith and we both respect the preference of each Church in her liturgical life and piety.”

 My brothers and sisters in Christ, the above is the common faith and believe we profess together as a Church, which help our prayers to God, through Mary. Normally, the Church celebrates the feast of some saint on a particular day suitable or designed for that saint.  However, what makes the celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin unique, is that even though Mary currently enjoys the beatific vision of God's glory, she is not only with her soul alone, rather, Mary was reunited with her son, both with her “body" and "soul," in Heaven. That makes Mary a unique being different from any other person created by God.  The Church teaches that "at the end of her earthly life, Mary's body as well as her soul was assumed into heaven by the loving power of God" (Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, 1950, Dogma of Assumption of the BVM).

Scriptural Evidence: In Rev. 12:1, we notice the “woman clothed with the sun” is in heaven. Theologically, “while this woman could represent Israel and/or the Church, there clearly is a Marian dimension to this woman since she is the one who gives birth to the male child “destined to rule all nations with an iron rod” (12:5). Also, in the book of Revelation 19:15-16, the one who will rule with an iron rod is identified as the “King of kings” and “Lord of lords.” Thus, the “fuller sense” (sensus plenior) of this passage points to Mary as glorified in heaven. There are so many other scriptural passages that portray Mary as Mother of God and Queen of Heaven.

What we can learn practically and put in prayer and action in our own lives: Mary preserved her virginity throughout her life. There was in her personality and attitude, a strong love, commitment, and faithfulness to God.  She never failed in her faithfulness and promises to God.  We can learn from her life how possible and powerful the Grace of God can be at work in our own lives, as well. Mary, makes good use of the power of the “Grace of God” throughout her life; for nothing is impossible to God. Finally, with her love, humility, and as she declared herself, "the handmaid of the Lord," Mary, in that sense, affirmed God’s acknowledgement of the dignity and sanctity of all human life, especially the vulnerable/poor. That was evidence in Mary’s Magnificat, when she says: "He has scattered the proud in their conceit and has raised up the lowly" (Lk 1:46-55). That teaches us that God values everyone, and values all life as sacred before Him and by Him.  May this Feast of the Assumption teach us through Mary, the perseverance of relying solely on the Grace and Power of God.  

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, keep interceding for us, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

Mass Schedule/Modification for August 15, through August 25, 2023.

Tuesday August 15^th-Mass in Brookings 9:00 am (Solemnity of Assumption of the BVM)

Tuesday August 15^th-Mass in Gold Beach 12:10:pm 

Wednesday August 16^th - Mass 10:00am in Brookings

Thursday August 17^th – Mass 4:30pm in Gold Beach (Confession, 4pm).

Friday August 18^th – Mass, 10:00am in Brookings

Weekend Masses as usual

Tuesday August 22^nd – Mass 10:00am in Brookings

Wednesday August 23^rd – Mass 10:00am in Brookings

Thursday August 24^th – Mass 9:30am in Brookings (Funeral Mass for James Evans)

Thursday August 24^th – Mass 4:30pm in Gold Beach

Friday August 25^th – Mass 10:00am in Brookings, and Another Mass 12:10pm in Gold Beach

Tuesday August 29^th – Mass 10:00am in Brookings

Wednesday August 30^th and 31^st – NO MASS – Father will be in Portland for pastoral planning meeting.

Friday September 1^st – First Friday All Parish Adoration including blessing of Holy Water stating with rosary at 4:30pm followed by Adoration and Mass. This is done ONLY ON FIRST FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH. Perpetual adoration follows other Fridays, except on First Fridays.

Saturday September 2^nd – Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary 9:00am and burning of petitions.

Weekend Masses as Usual

Special Notice: Please, we have a student from Honduras that we sponsor, visiting. She will be speaking to us and sharing with us how they are doing… In coordination with our brother, Tim Stadleman, the student will be speaking to us on any convenient weekend soon. 

New Grand Knights: I am pleased to notify you that the Knights of Columbus of our parish have new Grand Knights. Randy Hall was elected as the new parish Grand Knights. Please, join me to congratulate him. I also want to use this time to thank our former Grand knights, Mr. Mike Juster, who led the Knights, focusing among other things on spiritual integrity. May the Lord bless him and bless the new administration of our Knights.  

May I once again thank Fr. Selvam for being with us, and Fr. Joseph from the Diocese of Westminster, England. Finally, I want to thank you all for your dedication, prayers, and love for the Lord. May Christ the Savior and Mother Mary, be with you and your loved ones.

In Christ,

Fr. Justus Alaeto