The Mother Who Opens Her Arms: On the Feast of the Assumption

Recently I found this post over at Theresa Whitfield’s blog, listing an impressive number of individuals who share one thing in common . . . they were adopted.  Gerald Ford, Faith Hill, Cyrus the Great — all these individuals became who they were because someone cared enough to raise them.

As I write this, the day is winding down. Tomorrow is the Feast of the Assumption — the day when the angels swept Our Lady from her earthly existence and carried her to heaven.  This is the destination of all believers, departing from this world so that we may join our “forever family.”

When we arrive, we will see a long line of loving faces and open arms, ready to receive us. (Sarah frequently expresses the wish that God would let her crawl inside my tummy, like Mary carried Jesus in her tummy.)  The older I get, the longer my list of “must sees” grows. Just as soon as I hug the Blessed Mother, and have her introduce me to her Son. (She always will.)

As we celebrate the homegoing of Jesus’ Mother, may we anticipate the day that we will join her in the company of saints, adopted by God and full members of his family. We have nothing to fear, so long as we do not wander far from those welcoming, comforting arms.