Life seems tough. We see people struggling day by day, some trying to make ends meet, some going through mental or physical pain, some worrying about what is going to happen in the future, some devastated by the recent lost of a loved one. So many things happening around us could cause some to feel down, and even cause some to give up or despair. But is this the end? Is there no hope left? No. There is hope, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a silver lining to every cloud.
In the first reading, we see a vision of a confrontation between two parties. We have the woman in labour, which symbolises powerlessness and weakness. We have the fearsome dragon towering over the woman. It appears as if dragon cannot be stopped. But God intervenes. God saves the woman and she brings a child into this world, a child who will rule the universe. At the moment when all appeared to be lost, when certain defeat was imminent, God gives victory to the weak and afflicted.
In the Gospel, Mary was aware of God's providence and benevolence, and she exclaimed this in the Magnificat, which is a beautiful song of praise to God. She sings of how God will defend and protect the weak and defeat the mighty: "He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart. He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away."
Today, on this Solemnity of the Assumption, we are reminded that the power of God is much greater than any thing, any problem, any difficulty, that we might face. God gives us hope and strength to carry on. He will not abandon us, though at times we may have avoided Him or ignored His voice. God is our providence, our hope. Are we still living in fear or uncertainty? Or have we learned to walk humbly before our loving and caring God?
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