Mary’s death was the cause of rejoicing, Mary: Day 275

Last updated on: April 21, 2016 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

Mary’s death was the cause of rejoicing, Mary: Day 275 2016-04-14T11:11:45-05:00 Pete Socks

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mary’s death was the cause of rejoicing

St. John of Damascus ponders the reasons for the joy surrounding Mary’s death.

O wonder surpassing nature! Death, once feared and hated, has here become an occasion of praise and blessing. In days of old it was the forerunner of grief, dejection, tears, and sadness. But now it shines forth as the cause of joy and rejoicing. The death of God’s servants is celebrated, because we conclude from their holy end that they have his good pleasure. So we assume that their death is blessed, that they are perfect, blessed, and immoveable in goodness, as the proverb says: “Call no one blessed before his death” (see Sir 11:28).

But we do not apply this proverb to you, Mary. Death was not your bless- edness, nor was dying your way to perfection; nor, again, did your departure from here make you secure in salvation. For it is your Son, in his conception and his divine dwelling within you, who has made our sure and true security. So your words were true: From the moment of your Son’s conception, not from the moment of your death, all generations would call you blessed. It was you who broke the force of death, paying its penalty, and filling it with grace.

For this reason, when your holy and sinless body was taken to the tomb, the choirs of angels carried it and were all around, leaving nothing undone for the honor of our Lord’s mother. Meanwhile, the Apostles carried your body, the true Ark of the Lord God on their shoulders, just as the priests had done with the Ark of the Old Covenant, crossing the River Jordan. They placed your body in the tomb, making the tomb another Jordan, the way to the true land of the gospel, the heavenly Jerusalem, the mother of all the faithful, with God himself as its Lord and architect. But your pure and spotless body was not left in the earth. The abode of the queen, of God’s true mother, was prepared in the heavenly kingdom alone.

—St. John of Damascus, First Homily on the Dormition

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Why can the death of a Christian be a time of joyful hope? Why must we nevertheless avoid presumption about the spiritual state of someone who has died? Why do we pray for the faithful departed?

CLOSING PRAYER

Eternal rest grant to our loved ones, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

__________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Paul Thigpen and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.

A Year with Mary

Paul Thigpen

Saint Benedict Press

Saint John of Damascus

Previous Post

April 20, 2016

CBB Review: Spring Meditations

Next Post

April 21, 2016 CBB Giveaway: Spring Meditations

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Year with Mary A Year with the Angels A Year with the Church Fathers Book News Children's Review Featured CD Giveaway Guest Post Interview Linked Review Media review Movie Review New Releases Off the Shelf Review speakers Teen Review The Clergy Speaks The Laity Speaks The Open Book Podcast Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz