Feast of the Assumption

Monday, August 15, 2011
Feast of the Assumption

All my life I have been fascinated with clouds.  During my school days, I eagerly studied the different cloud formations, diligently memorizing their names.  Almost every day since then I have delighted in looking at the sky to see what new cloud design God was creating there.  So last night, just after sunset, I was intrigued by a large cloud bank, looming dark on the southern horizon like a just formed mountain range.  I marveled anew at how hard the cloud looked, silhouetted against the dying light of day, and wondered again at what celestial substance held together the mist whipped by wind in the mixing bowl of sky.  Musing thus I was surprised to see what I had never before seen up close—heat lightning!  From the heart of the cloud came flashes, now here, now there, but no thunder.  I opened my window to be sure of the silence.  No thunder, did I hear, but neither was there silence.  Instead I heard the music of serenading crickets.  As I listened, there was another flash of light, this one, not up in the sky but near the ground.  A lonely firefly made its presence known, now here, now there, almost as if it were imitating the fantastic display above.  I remembered the firefly’s other name of “lightning bug” and fancied that perhaps this one might fly up into the mountainous cloud, attracted irresistibly by the heavenly flashing light which in some way resembled its own.

Infinitely great is the distance between God and us, yet we are made in His image and likeness.  We yearn to be united to Him we resemble, however remotely.  But there was one among us who was overshadowed by the bright could of the Holy Spirit and God became incarnate in her flesh.  On this feast of the Assumption, we celebrate the mystery that the one who brought God to us has now been drawn up into heaven.  She is clothed with the sun and the flashing clouds surround her.  We too, little fireflies that we are, flashing our brief sparks of divine life amidst the darkness of the world, will someday follow her into the eternal light.  Let us rejoice and be glad in this hope.