August 17.  Sunday 20 C  Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven. Patron Feast of SA.   The Catholic family members were given a chance to explain their devotion to Mary to others from other churches. Some shared how they saw her as a powerful queen, some a mother, a sorrowing mother, at times possibly angry at events in her life and that of her son.  She had experienced exile, and losing a child is very painful as some families had also experienced. Some people liked the “gentle woman” that we see on Christmas cards.   All agreed with the words she herself used, “The Lord has done great things for me.” The sharing was enlightening for all and they agreed a patroness can be all those things. After they considered their particular local reality they prayed together,   “Mary, Queen assumed into heaven, patroness of South Africa, pray for us.”

Scripture:    Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.  For behold henceforth all generations will call me blessed: for he who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49.  Pope Francis.   Mary, the mother who cared for Jesus now cares with maternal affection and pain for this wounded world.   Carried up into heaven, she is the Mother and Queen of all creation. In her glorified body, together with the Risen Christ part of creation has reached the fullness of its beauty.   LS 241.  JUBILEE: 24. Hope finds its supreme witness in the Mother of God as we see that hope is not naive optimism but a gift of grace amid the realities of life. Like every mother, whenever Mary looked at her Son, she thought of his future. Mary cooperated for our sake in the fulfilment of all that her Son had foretold in announcing that he would have to “undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mk 8:31). In the travail of that sorrow, offered in love, Mary became our Mother, the Mother of Hope. SNC 24. Act and pray. For the needs of families of all kinds to grow in hope, love and acceptance.