Homily
Sunday, Wednesday, August 17, 2008, Preparation for Assumption
Assumption Grotto Parish, Detroit
Maria super Angelos
All this week I have been considering small aspects regarding the Assumption, having as it does such an important place in our parish life. We have already considered the glorification of her body, and what salvation awaits for all flesh. I have also considered the purity of her love. Today I wish to consider Mary’s Assumption in light of the nine choirs of angels.
God is greater than all. Below him rank the angels, in nine choirs, purely spiritual beings. Under the angels rank men, whom God has made his sons in his Son. Under man ranks the material world, with its own order of animals, plants, and inanimate things.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is an exception to this order of creation. She exceeds all things in this world; she excels beyond what any man could attain, besides Jesus the Lord; she has even been lifted up above the angels, and they love her. Mary is the greatest creation of all the works of God.
How is it that each of the choirs of angels relates to Mary?
The Angels, as Pope St. Gregory the Great says, they announce, and holy men imitate them by passing on what pious knowledge they know. So the angels announce the glory of Mary both in the heavens and in the conscience of men on earth.
The Archangels, St. Gregory also teaches, announce the highest mysteries. Holy men imitate them by “receiving and announcing the highest secrets of heaven.”(1) They therefore join the angels in announcing the truth about Mary, but also are the guardians of the highest truths regarding her, such as the Immaculate Conception and Assumption; and they who deny these truths must answer to these angels, who so love Her.
The Virtues are the ones “through whom signs and wonders are most frequently accomplished.”(2) They surely serve Mary whenever she works miracles, and even interior graces, in the world and in men’s hearts.
The mighty Powers have angelic comprehension of the nature of power, and specialize in courage, perseverance and protection. The aid all men who serve Mary to persevere, to not flinch in the face of ridicule when they exercise devotion to her, and they mediate the protection Mary showers upon souls.
The Principalities are the angels who rule over other angels, and in some way even over the society of men, as St. Thomas teaches us in his commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. They lead and move all those who govern the Church, namely, those unworthy men raised to the dignity of the priesthood, to teach the faithful to love and serve Mary the Mother of God.
The Dominations rule particularly by ordaining and arranging. They help men keep the right order of the adoration due to God and the exalted form of veneration due solely to Mary, and after God and Mary, that of the other saints.
The Thrones hold court before God who judges, and He exercises justice through them. Therefore, if such is their duty before the Lord, they must also hold court in such a way before our Lady. They are wrathful when she is disgraced by wicked men, and they dole out mercy, at Mary’s command, by mediating those graces and interior inspirations from God to those sinners who repent.
The Cherubim are full of the most exalted knowledge of God, who is love. And so too are they full of the exalted knowledge of Mary, the Mother of God, who is full of grace. They do not rise up before her, but bow down, and mediate all forms of interior knowledge of Mary to those men who wish to know her. And by knowing her, all come to know Christ her son.
The Seraphim burn ferociously for love of God, and nothing comes between them and God; nothing, that is, except Mary, for she is greater than all of the Seraphim. Imagine if ever you could, with the eye of your faith, how ardent the love of the Seraphim is for Mary, and beseech God the grace to love her even a bit as they.
Mary is greater than the angels, and she is their Queen. Let us correspond to the working of the angels in our souls, to meditate on Mary, to interiorly understand the truths which the Church teaches regarding her, to receive from her hand every good which God gives us, to serve Mary, to spread devotion to her among men, to uphold her above every saint and angel yet her always as a servant of the Trinity, to beseech her intercession and mercy endlessly and with confidence, to know her, and to love her. And all of this will be most pleasing to her Eternal Son, who existed before she, the Word who proceeds from the Father, and who will come to judge the living and the dead. Amen.