The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Date: August 16, 2009

First Reading (Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10 a & b)
A reading from the book of Revelation.
God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head is a crowd with twelve stars. She was pregnant and wailed aloud in pain as she was looking forward to her time of delivery. Then another sign appeared: a huge, red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and wearing seven crowns on its heads. It had just swept along a third of the stars of heaven with its tail, throwing them down to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour the child as soon as it was born. The woman gave birth to a male child, the one who is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter; then her child was seized and taken up to God and to his throne; while the woman fled into the desert where God had prepared a place for her. Then I heard a loud voice from heaven: "Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One."

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15: 20-27)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead and he comes before all those who have fallen asleep. A human being brought death; a human being also brings resurrection of the dead. All die for being Adam's, and in Christ all will receive life. However, each one in his own time: first Christ, then Christ's people, when he visits them. Then the end will come, when Christ delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after having destroyed every rule, authority and power. For he must reign and put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. As the Scriptures states: God has subjected everything under his feet.

Gospel (Luke 1: 39-56)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Mary set out for a town in the Hills of Judah. She enter the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the holy spirit, and giving a loud cry, she states, "You are most blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that the Lord's word would come true!" And Mary stated, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my savior! He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness, and people forever will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is his Name! From age to age his mercy extends to those who live in his presence. He has acted with power and done wonders and scattered the proud with their plans. He has put down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He held out his hand to Israel, his servant, for he remembered his mercy, even as he promised our fathers, Abraham and his descendants forever." Mary remained with Elizabeth for approximately three months and then returned home.