How wonderful it is that the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is on Sunday this year. Every Sunday is always a blessing but when you have a Solemnity of Our Lady it is even better.
Our Lady, I am sure, had many joyous days in her life: her wonderful childhood in being raised by such holy parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne; her marriage to St. Joseph; having the Eternal Son of God within her womb for 9 months; giving birth to Jesus; raising the Messiah; witnessing His miracles; seeing Jesus resurrected. All of these experiences must have given her tremendous joy. However, there is another day that awaited her that is far more joyous than any other day she experienced on Earth. The happiest day of her life was when she was assumed into Heaven and was reunited with her Son. She can now be with Jesus forever!
This is the day that awaits us. The happiest day of our life is still yet to come! There is no other joy that can exceed the experience of seeing God as He truly is.
What holds us back from seeing God is our own sins. Blessed are the clean in heart for they shall see God. Often in life, we hold grudges. We remember those who have hurt us and are reluctant to forgive them. For Our Lady, she never had any sins, no grudges, no contempt. Her heart was immaculate.
The gift of purgatory allows our souls to be purified from any attachment to sin. Therefore, when we see God and the saints in Heaven, there will be no more tension, no grudges, no contempt. We will only rejoice in seeing our brothers and sisters in Heaven, even those who have hurt us.
In my last letter, I wrote about peace. We can receive and preserve the peace of Jesus in the midst of difficulties and sufferings. Yet the peace that we will receive in beholding The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit is so much more. In fact, there will nothing hindering us, nothing holding us back, nothing keeping us away from God. We will be embraced completely by His love and only His love will remain within us.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Jeff Yildirmaz
