One day, I found myself looking into
the sky and wondering what the saints must think of us down here and how we are
so pre-occupied in trying to reach for the stars. What we think of rising here on earth might
not be a distance but in the time between the dream state and our own
awakening. Sights, sounds and noises can
affect our awareness.
As I watched the fireworks celebrations
this past July, I was reminded of Mary and of her assumption into heaven. We all live our lives as the rocket does – we
are forged by fire, existing in a raging flame as we rise into the sky – we let
off a brilliant show of light and love – then we fall back down to the ground
as a simple piece of ash and dimming with each second. Mary, on the other hand, lived a life of
sacrifice, a life of hope, a much different life than the rest of the human
race. She never fell back to earth. She rose into eternity with Christ. But do not fret, we too will be taken into
Heaven on that last day, but based on the needs of those around us and in the
nature of how a small or large measure we lifted a giving soul.
Saint Alphonsus de Liguori once said
that “now death came; not indeed clothed in mourning and grief, as it does to
others, but adorned with light and gladness. But what do we say? Why speak of
death? Let us rather say that divine love
came, and cut the thread of that noble life. And as a light, before going out,
gives a last and brighter flash than ever, so did this beautiful creature, on
hearing her Son's invitation to follow him, wrapped in the flames of love, and
in the midst of her loving sighs, give a last sigh of still more ardent love,
and breathing forth her soul, expired.
This reminds me of those fireworks we watched as they soared
into the sky, flashed their brilliance of color and light, then faded as the
embers caught the night sky. And like those
brilliant flashes, we exist and glow for only a short time here on earth. But for Mary, hers will be a star that never
extinguishes, a memory that will last forever.
One day, we will follow in the footsteps of our blessed
Mother. To everyone within the sound of
my voice and in the ability to hear Christ’s call, we humbly say to ourselves:
To the
eastern sun I rise,
To the
soul that roams free I rise,
To His
honor and majesty I rise,
To our
faith in all we love and cherish I rise and,
To my journey
on that last day, I - will - rise.
May we come to Mary in prayer and may
she become our guide. May the sky ever
reveal its true colors and may His peace be with you, always.