Dear Parishioners of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish:
It certainly can be said that it is always good to have goals. Some set educational goals, some have career goals, others set financial goals, still others strive for personal goals. And these goals can be very different depending upon the person making the goals, their age, their circumstances in life, their job, and other specifics. But as Christians, we all should have one major common, spiritual goal, the goal of goals you might say, and that goal simply put is: to live a life of authentic love of faith, which naturally leads us then to inherit the incredible gift of eternal life – heaven, the Kingdom of God, eternal happiness, our one true goal – the most important goal worth having. In a world filled with many distractions, today we recall this most important goal, on this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1950, Pope Pius XII officially declared the longstanding belief and doctrine that at the end of her earthly life Mary was assumed (taken) body and soul, into heaven. From her place in heaven, our Blessed Mother continues to pray for all humanity, with the tender love and the incredible compassion of a mother. As such, Mary is the embodiment of our most important goal, but also by her life, she also becomes the road map, on how to reach this goal. Through the prayers of our Blessed Virgin Mary, may we grow in the beautiful virtues she espoused: integrity, justice, trust, peace, purity, obedience, reverence, holiness, and respect for all human life.
On this Solemnity, cast your eyes upon Mary, and see in her, our hope, our loving mother, our powerful
prayer partner — our one true goal. On this Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary we gather to give thanks
and praise for our Blessed Mother’s grace-filled and virtuous life. She is the epitome of the “perfect disciple”
as she points humanity to our one true goal – the gift of eternal life in Heaven – and by her life she shows us
how to pursue this goal. As we celebrate her crowning glory in her assumption into heaven, we emulate her
openness and trust in God which enabled His holy will to be fulfilled in the most extraordinary way. The
Blessed Virgin Mary is our hope and promise of what God’s grace can do in our lives if we trust and believe.
How appropriate it is as we begin another school year, that we ask our Blessed Mother Mary to wrap her
mantle of love and protection around all our school children, and all youth of our beautiful Most Blessed
Sacrament Parish. I am so excited to see our school children this week! Pray for them and for our dedicated
teachers and staff! I conclude with one of my favorite Marian prayers authored by St. John Paul II:
Marian Prayer of Pope John Paul II
O Holy Mother Mary, you who know what it means to clasp in your arms the broken body of your Son, of Him to
whom you gave birth. Give our Mothers and Fathers the gift of your faith and trust, and keep our families and our
children, safe in this troubled and broken world. So much destruction! So many lives lost through sin and disrespect
for the gift of human life! Intercede for us Our Lady of Grace, that your Son, Jesus Christ, the True Light of the
world will inspire within our hearts authentic joy and gratitude. Mother of Peace, in all the beauty and majesty of
your motherhood, which the Church exalts and the world admires, we pray to you. Be with us at every moment, “now
and at the hour of our death.” Amen.
It is a joy and blessing to serve as your Pastor,
Fr. Michael