August 15, 2026 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mass during the Day) Gospel: Lk 1:39-56
Today the Church celebrates the Mass during the Day for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Solemnity of the Assumption is, in many ways, the preeminent feast of Our Lady, as it commemorates her passing, body and soul, into the glory of heaven, where she stands beside her Son clothed in golden vesture. Though the dogma of the Assumption was only defined in 1950, it was widely held by the earliest Christians. The Blessed Virgin truly leads the way; she fulfilled her vocation in humility, and, because of her Immaculate Conception, the tomb was not fitting for her body. Where she is now, we hope one day to be.
The Gospel for today’s Mass during the Day is drawn from one of the most beautiful passages in the Gospel according to Luke. I would like to take this opportunity to offer some reflections.
From Luke’s account we see that, after learning from the Angel Gabriel that her kinswoman Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age (cf. Lk 1:36-37), the Blessed Virgin Mary set out immediately for the house of Zechariah (cf. Lk 1:39-40). Her greeting to Elizabeth was twofold. As I noted in last year’s reflection for the Solemnity of the Assumption, both the blessing of Mary and the blessing of Jesus came upon the house of Zechariah together: the infant Jesus in Mary’s womb blessed His forerunner John the Baptist and the entire household of Zechariah. She bore not only her own greeting, but also the greeting of Jesus. She greeted not only Elizabeth, but also John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb. So much so that Elizabeth spoke those stirring words: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (cf. Lk 1:42-43)
We see in the words and deeds of the Blessed Virgin Mary her profound humility: she did not presume upon her dignity as the Mother of the Son of God but called herself the “handmaid of the Lord” (cf. Lk 1:46-48), thus setting an example for us. Therefore, on this Solemnity of the Assumption, let us imitate the Blessed Virgin and humbly offer this prayer to God:
Almighty ever-living God, who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, body and soul into heavenly glory, grant, we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above, we may merit to be sharers of her glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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