When I was a newly ordained priest, my first assignment was to a parish with the same name as Our Lady of the Assumption, and thus, this Marian feast became one of my favorites. The ability to celebrate this feast another year brings back nostalgic and great memories of my years as a young seminarian in San Juan de Los Lagos. In celebration of the Mass, August 15th marks the only day of the year that the holy image of Our Lady of San Juan is brought down from her niche and into the plaza. Saint John Damascene speaks with powerful eloquence about the Assumption, he says that “it was necessary that she who had preserved her virginity inviolate in childbirth should also have her body kept free from all corruption after death. It was necessary that she who had carried the Creator as a child on her breast should dwell in the tabernacles of God. It was necessary that the bride espoused by the Father should make her home in the bridal chambers of heaven.
It was necessary that she, who gazed at her crucified Son and had been pierced in the heart by the sword of sorrow of which she had escaped in giving him birth, should contemplate him seated with the Father.
The Mother of God needed to share the possessions of her Son and be venerated by every creature as the Mother and handmaid of God.” To celebrate the assumption of Mary into heaven is to celebrate that one of our race is in glory, not only her soul, but her body as well.
Our belief is in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting, and one day we will be in heaven contemplating the glorious virgin Mary and her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, for all eternity. Here at the Basilica, we celebrate a novena of Masses in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption, please join us in celebrating her by sending us the names of your relatives that you want us to pray for during the novena.
I want to thank you in advance for your generous donations that help us keep the Basilica open to the thousands of pilgrims that visit every week.
Fr Jorge A Gómez,
Rector of the Basilica.
It was necessary that she, who gazed at her crucified Son and had been pierced in the heart by the sword of sorrow of which she had escaped in giving him birth, should contemplate him seated with the Father.
Aquí en la Basílica celebramos una novena de Misas en honor de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. Los invitamos a enviarnos los nombres de sus familiares para orar por ellos durante la novena.
¡Feliz Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción!
Cuando estaba recién ordenado, mi primer destino fue a una parroquia con el mismo nombre de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, y así, esta festividad mariana se convirtió en una de mis favoritas. La posibilidad de celebrar esta festividad un año más trae recuerdos nostálgicos y grandes memorias de mis años como joven seminarista en San Juan de Los Lagos. La celebración de la Misa, el 15 de agosto marca el único día del año en que la santa imagen de Nuestra Señora de San Juan es bajada de su nicho y llevada a la plaza. San Juan Damasceno habla con poderosa elocuencia sobre la Asunción; dice que “era necesario que ella, que había preservado su virginidad intacta en el parto, también tuviera su cuerpo mantenido libre de toda corrupción después de la muerte.
Fr Jorge A Gómez
Rector of the Basilica
Creator of the stars of night, You crowned the mother of Your only Son with twelve bright lights and stood her on the
silvery moon. As the angels bore her into the firmament of Your Eternal Presence,
humankind was honored and destined to share in Jesus’ own Resurrection. May our hope for eternity lead us to yearn to be faifhful servants of the will of God in imitation of the Queen of Heaven.
AMEN
Creador de los astros de la noche, coronaste a la madre Tú único Hijo con doce brillantes luces y la paraste sobre la luna plateada. Al ser llevada por los ángeles al firmamento de
Tu Eterna Presencia honraste a la humanidad entera y nos destinaste a compartir la Resurrección de Jesucristo. Que nuestro deseo por eternidad nos de el anhelo por cumplir fielmente la voluntad de Dios, en imitación de la Reina de Cielo
AMEN
