Question

Dear Father Angelo, 

My name is Davide and I am a university student. I have already written to you a few times. This time I am writing to ask for your advice. I know that the 15th of August is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am also aware that it is a day of obligation, therefore, failing to observe it is tantamount to missing a Sunday mass. Up until now, I have never gone to mass on the 15th of August because on that day I have always been on holidays at the sea or otherwise partying. But it is a year now since I have come back to Christianity, and now for me Sunday mass is as necessary as daily food, I cannot do without it. Similarly, I have always kept the holy days of obligation. Unfortunately my group of friends do not go to church, even though they are Christians. This being the case, attending mass on the 15th of August might be difficult for me, because I am likely to be on the beach or spending free time with my friends. I do not have any plans yet, but I am determined to go to mass on the 15th of August. Would you recommend to reschedule any trip or holiday in order to attend mass? I hope that the Holy Spirit, who has recently renewed my soul, helps me, along with your advice. Thank you in advance, Father Angelo, I hope you will not reply me too late.

Have a nice day,

Davide

The priest’s answer

  1. The feast of the Assumption is too important and precious for us to neglect it. It is the day on which the Virgin Mary goes to Heaven and is crowned queen. In the Old Testament we read that when King Ahasuerus married Esther and crowned her queen, he wanted everyone to rejoice. For this reason, he granted a holiday to all the provinces of his empire and distributed gifts with royal liberality, royal gifts because of their preciousness. 
  2. Now, in the Old Testament, Esther prefigures Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the Virgin Mary is assumed into heaven, she is proclaimed queen, as we read in Psalm 45:10: “at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir”. Therefore, on the day of the Assumption of Mary, God wants to do for Her what had been foreshadowed with Esther: he proclaims a holiday to all the provinces of His empire and gives gifts, not with royal liberality, but with divine liberality. 
  3. The provinces of the empire of the Lord are our hearts, our families and our communities. In order to honor the Virgin on the day of her glorification in Heaven and on earth, He wants a day of peace for everyone. According to the Jerusalem Bible, peace in the Sacred Scripture is physical integrity (health), perfect happiness, and the liberation from evil brought by the Messiah. As you can see, this peace is a great gift. Nobody can neglect or refuse it without offending the donor. In this case, the gift Giver is God. 
  4. Moreover, Ahasuerus gave gifts with royal liberality. It was the best he could do. God can do much more for His mother: he wants to distribute gifts not only with royal liberality but with divine liberality, namely with gifts worth of God.
  5. For this reason, some people spend the whole day of the Assumption in prayer, that is the best frame of mind to receive the many graces that God wants to grant and inspires them to ask. It is, therefore, a wonderful and precious day because of what it is celebrated and the benefits that we can gain.
  6. It would be best if you could persuade all your friends to honor the Virgin, inspiring them the confidence to receive all that the Lord wants to grant them on that very solemn day. But if they do not want to go to mass, at least you should make sure to do so by attending the pre-holiday mass on Saturday night or an early morning mass, the earliest you can find. For you, the 15th of August must not be simply an occasion to go to picknick, a day of fun, but a day of grace. It must be so because God wants this for you and for your beloved ones. Is there anything more beautiful? Therefore, I wish you a beautiful feast of the Assumption. May it be a day full of peace and abundant in gifts distributed by God Himself with divine liberality.

I remember you to the Lord in prayer and I bless you.

Father Angelo

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