The story is told of an elderly priest who had been in a parish for many, many years. The parishioners had written countless letters to the bishop complaining about his preaching. The poor man could not preach to save his life, or anyone else’s for that matter. They were so bored during his homilies that they would read the parish news bulletin, even the newspaper!
The priest eventually went to the bishop to ask to be moved. While the bishop sympathised, he explained: “I know that they’re tired of you. I have a filing cabinet full of letters of complaining, but I just do not have a replacement yet. Meanwhile try harder to make your homilies interesting, catch people’s attention with a story. Here is an example. Recently I was at a parish, and I thought how do I grab their attention? So, I began the homily by saying, Today I have an extremely important announcement. Already they were looking at me. Yes, you are going to hear this straight from me. I have just fallen in love with the most amazing woman. I want to tell you all about her and why I love her so much. But I am sure you will want first to know her name? Her name is Mary, and she is the mother of Jesus. And so, the homily went on. Try something like that.”
Well, the priest went back to his parish and on Sunday after the Gospel the parishioners were prepared to be bored and got the newspapers out and parish bulletin when the priest said. “I have just been to see the bishop and so I have an important announcement.” Already people were looking up. “Yes,” he went on “the bishop told me himself that he had just fallen in love with the most marvellous woman, she’s swept him off his feet.” Well, that was it every eye and ear was attentive. “No doubt you are wanting to know her name.” “Yes” came several voices. There was a slight pause and the old priest, who was a little forgetful said: “Well, for the life of me I can’t remember what comes next, but no matter at least I’ve got your attention.” Who knows perhaps I might even have yours!
Here is the truth, I cannot imagine life without Mary. She has been the woman who has taught me so much about being a disciple of Jesus. She has been the mother that I have turned to on so many occasions when lost, confused and full of fear and uncertainty. She has provided encouragement, challenge and a clear example of faith. I simply love this woman, and I am not ashamed of saying it. I love her because she has always revealed the face and heart of Jesus to me. A face and heart that manifests the love that lies at the heart of God, the very centre of creation.
I am reminded of the words of St Bernard of Clairvaux:
“…whoever you are…When the wind of temptation blows up within you, when you strike upon the rock of tribulation…call out to Mary. Whether you are being tossed about by the waves of pride or ambition or slander or jealousy, call out to Mary. When you begin to founder in the gulf of sadness and despair, think of Mary. In dangers, in hardships, in every doubt, think of Mary, call out to Mary.”
The Solemnity of the Assumption points to the first disciple of Jesus who will lead us on the journey and who leads to the same destination as herself. That is why Bernard goes on:
“Keep her in your mouth, keep her in your heart. Follow the example of her life and you will obtain the favour of her prayer. Following her you will never go astray. Asking her help, you will never despair. Keeping her in your thoughts, you will never wander away. With your hand in hers, you will never stumble. With her protecting you, you will not be afraid. With her leading you, you will never tire. Her kindness will see you through to the end.”
What better model do you and I need in this Jubilee Year. Here is the quintessential pilgrim of hope. Yet Mary had every reason to doubt God’s plan, a plan so bold and one so full of risk. A young girl announcing that she is pregnant, oh and by the way I’ve not been fooling around, it is the Holy Spirit of God who is the one through whom I have conceived. We have so tamed the Gospel that we make it sound all too easy. Yet, from that very moment when Mary agreed to God’s invitation, she becomes an object of shame, gossip, ridicule; she was lucky indeed not to have been stoned.
There was to be no easy birth for this young mother, nor even an easy life after the birth. A journey to her husband’s hometown was met with rejection. Has it ever crossed your mind why Joseph was looking for accommodation in Bethlehem? He was, after all, going home. Why did his relatives not make room? The answer is clear. Because of her…the shame, the disgrace, the scandal. I recall years ago being deputed to attend a children’s nativity play in a Church of England primary school.
The teacher who was responsible for the performance was desperately trying to keep control, but it was almost a lost cause. Gabriel had already lost a wing during the annunciation scene, but things became more distraught as Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. It was somehow quite clear that Mary and Joseph were having, to put it mildly, a bad day and not at all best of friends. Mary was being pulled, pushed and shoved about the stage. Then came the encounter with various Inn Keepers.
The first two were fine and seemed to keep to the script, no room in the Inn, but the third took a more informal approach to the request for a room and shouted: “Clear off, I’ve no time for people like you!” It was at this point that audience participation took over with various pupils shouting back “Shame, look she’s pregnant, it could be your sister or mother, take them in.” The more colourful response was a little boy who shouted, “Take them in or I’ll burn your place down”. The teacher was frantically trying to calm the audience when Joseph shouted: “Don’t blame me, I’m not the father.” Which at least had a theological basis. This was the last straw for Mary, and she gave Joseph a big thump in the back. It’s a miracle we got to the birth.
If nothing else the performance brought home to me the fact that the incarnation was no gentle stroll in the park! The need to become refugees in Egypt after the birth. Having to go in search of Jesus once he had begun his ministry, watching him being ridiculed and become a source of fury to the Jewish officials, even His hometown abused him, what more of her? Then that fatal week that led to His crucifixion. To stand at that cross, to receive his dead, lifeless, broken body, unthinkable pain for her. She could easily have died of grief herself. As John Paul II writes:
“No one has experienced, to the same degree as the Mother of the crucified One, the mystery of the cross, the overwhelming encounter of divine love… No one has received into his heart, as much as Mary did, by means of the death of the Son."
The first reading proclaimed: ‘A great sign appeared.’ What a huge surprise when heaven opened, and the Ark of the Covenant appeared and it was not a box covered with gold, rather it was flesh and blood, a woman, pregnant with life. A great sign had indeed appeared, the one who was prophesied in Gen 3:15, she who was to crush the serpent’s head, a mother who walks with us and a mother who forms us. This takes us to the second phrase from God’s Word today.
St Paul proclaims that we have been, ‘brought to life in Christ’. This is why we are pilgrims of hope – Mary, St Louis de Montfort claimed is the surest, quickest, and easiest way to become a saint, she moulds us into an image of Jesus, form us into saints. She is not merely the mother of the Messiah, but mother of all His disciples. Staying close to her is our guarantee that we will be brought to life in Christ. She brings to fruition our Baptism and monastic profession. As St Louis de Monfort wrote:
“ We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son.”
God’s great sign, who nourishes us and guides us to life in Christ brings us to the final piece of advice that God’s Word gives us today and it’s the example of the mother the first pilgrim of hope: ‘Mary set out and went as quickly as she could.’ Mary models the very nature of our missionary discipleship. As we sit in her school of evangelisation this prepares us to share with others the encounter we have had with life and love. When you have good news, you simply cannot keep it to yourself.
Here then is the Assumption, a day to rejoice with a mother whose only mission is to speak to us of the hope -the hope that Jesus brings. I love this woman because she has brought me to love Himself.
Abbot Robert Igo, OSB
Ampleforth Abbey
15 August 2025
