August feasts of Jesus and Mary

In Chapters 1 and 2 of St. Luke’s Gospel, we read the accounts of Jesus’ infancy. Then in Chapters 3 through 8, Luke tells us of episodes in the public life of Jesus. 

Obviously, Jesus was a very important person to “the apostles in the making.” Their experiences of his activities made a very deep impression on them.

On one occasion, then, when Jesus had prayed in solitude with the disciples as his only companions, he asked an important question, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” Their reply was “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’” (Lk 9:18-19).

And then Jesus posed the most basic of basic questions for the disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” In response, Peter rose to the occasion as he replied, “The Messiah of God” (Lk 9:20).  Astoundingly true? Yes. Was it of immense importance for Peter to recognize this? Yes. But it was not yet time for this immense truth to be made known to all and so Jesus “rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone” (Lk 9:21).

About eight days after the apostles had this experience Luke describes an even deeper experience, the Transfiguration of Jesus (Lk 9:28-36). We read about Jesus taking Peter, James and John up the mountain to pray. While he was praying, his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus.

Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory. Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah…” While Peter was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone (Lk 9:28-36).

The Catholic Church celebrates this very rare account of a Gospel scene depicting on Earth the divinity of Jesus each year on Aug. 6–the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Although many of us while praying with the Gospels opt to spend most of our time on the more human accounts, this emphasis on the divinity of Christ is of maximum importance. It calls us to see the interplay between the two experiences: the awesome reality of the Transfiguration of Jesus and the simpler but just as real experience of everyday life with him as he walked this earth. Both are of immense importance–to the Apostles who experienced both but also to us who accept both as matters of faith.

Also celebrated each year–on Aug. 15–is the very important Marian feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven.

As a child and young girl, Mary seemed to be an ordinary little Jewish girl, and this is also how she appeared to be after the extraordinary event of the Annunciation. Even after the birth of her baby son and the Holy Family’s return from Bethlehem to Nazareth, she seemed to be an ordinary young Jewish wife and mother.

Like any mother, she protested when her 12-year-old son stayed behind her and St. Joseph in the temple in Jerusalem without telling them what he was doing (Lk 2:44-50). And the Gospel tells us that she did not understand his question, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house” (v. 49). After that, they went back home like any family, but it is important to realize that Mary did not forget these experiences. The Gospel tells us, “his mother kept all these things in her heart” (v. 51).

And so, after she had completed her human vocation of raising her son to adulthood, in the Gospel here and there, we read of Mary’s presence in a crowd around him. Acts 1:14 tells us that, after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the first community of Christians went to the Upper Rome where “All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus…” (Acts 1:14). 

It is the infallible teaching of the church that at the end of her life, Mary was assumed–taken up–into heaven. This feast of Mary’s Assumption into heaven is so important that the church has designated this day as a holy day of obligation.