Mary, God’s Eternal Medalist

These days, amidst the soaring cases of COVID 19 infections, the nation rejoices. 2021 Tokyo Olympic medalists, Hilidyn Diaz, Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Fetecio, Eumir Marcial brought home the biggest haul of medals since the country participated in the world’s foremost international sports competition. Such feat earned these athletes the nation’s recognition and adulation for their painstaking effort, resolute discipline and will power. Many of these athletes rose from lowly, humble beginnings and their heroic stories will be remembered by a grateful nation for years to come. Coincidentally, this well-deserved achievement of Filipino athletes happens this month when we recall that another person was given the singular honor and privilege of being the only human raised to heaven both body and soul, Mary of Nazareth!

The Assumption of Our Blessed Mother teaches us that “ The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, 1950). Mary, also from humble beginnings, was hailed, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women” (Luke 1:28) for all humanity. She is recognized not by her accomplishment and prowess but her faithfulness and commitment to the will of God.

Thus, Mary becomes not a mere celebrity we can aspire for through skill and talent but an enduring symbol and icon of humanity’s hope for salvation. According to Pope Benedict XVI, “By contemplating Mary in heavenly glory, we understand that the earth is not the definitive homeland for us either, and that if we live with our gaze fixed on eternal goods we will one day share in this same glory…” The Pope added, “Consequently, we must not lose our serenity and peace even amid the thousands of daily difficulties. The luminous sign of Our Lady taken up into Heaven shines out even more brightly when sad shadows of suffering and violence seem to loom on the horizon.” (General Audience, August 16, 2006).

Similarly, in his Angelus address, Pope Francis, affirms that Mary’s lowliness magnifies God’s greatness, “She does not allow herself to be “overwhelmed by difficulties and absorbed by fears”. Rather, she puts God as the first greatness of life, which becomes the source of her Magnificat. Her joy is born “not from the absence of problems, which come sooner or later, but from God’s presence.” The Pope concludes, ““let us not be drawn in by the petty things in life but let us choose the greatness of Heaven” (Angelus Prayer, August 15,2020).

Nowadays, as grapple with ill-effects of pandemic, climate change and social unrest, we look upon Mary’s faith and journey to glory. She was not insulated from the some of the issues that we face. She lived in a turbulent time when Israel was under Roman rule. She faced the anxiety of her unwanted pregnancy. She suffered the untold pain of her son’s death on the cross. In all these, she remained steadfast and faithful, and thus, she became a source of strength and inspiration to the apostles, to whom, she was their counselor and guide, in the early days of the church. In the 2015 film, “Full of Grace”, the elderly Mary helped Peter dealt with his doubt and fear as the leader of the young yet fractious Church against the threat of division and schism. In the final scene of the film, Mary said, “She told Peter, “I take this walk to remember Him, all complications of life disappear.” Indeed, Mary walks with us, and pray for us in these dark and uncertain time.

The feast of Assumption reminds us that Mary’s presence remains our source of hope of the bright future ahead of us and she does that by inviting us to walk ahead and keep the faith strong and hope alive. St. Paul said, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Cor. 9:25). As for himself, St. Paul declared, “I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7) Let us then be God’s golden medalists, like Mary.