Liturgy of the day August 15, 2025

Texts taken from the Missal “On Your Word” July-August 2025

 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (s)

First Reading

From the Book of Revelation of Saint John the Apostle (Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab)

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen within his temple. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child as soon as she had given birth. She gave birth to a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod, and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. The woman, meanwhile, fled into the desert, where God had prepared a refuge for her. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: «Now have come salvation and power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ».

The Word of God.

Commentary on the First Reading

Since antiquity, all the great writers and theologians have highlighted the bond between Mary and the Church. The pregnant woman crowned with twelve stars is, first and foremost, an image of the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, which continues to give birth to children through Baptism. A new birth and a new dignity are reserved for all those who immerse themselves in the waters flowing from the baptismal font; but in this fundamental event in the life of every Christian, the holy Virgin plays an irreplaceable role. She is the one who accompanies us until we become adults in spirit, that is, capable of following Christ Jesus as the sole reason for our lives. With maternal affection, she accompanies us from our first steps to our final encounter with the Lord.

Second Reading

From the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:20-27a)

F Brothers and sisters, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be brought to life. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for he has put everything under his feet. 

The Word of God.

Commentary on the Second Reading

One of the deepest and most ancestral fears we carry within us is that of death. It is an unknown that sooner or later we all have to reckon with. Although we do everything possible to remove this troublesome and embarrassing presence from our daily lives, it is there, reminding us through many signs that one day or another we too will have to meet it. For this reason, the sacred text helps you to find meaning even in death: it is not the final word, just as it was not the final word in the life of immaculate Mary. After her earthly pilgrimage, she was taken into the glory of heaven; therefore, as we look to her, even our deepest fear is healed by love and hope. One day, we too will be able to reign with her in heaven.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:39-56)

In those days Mary set out and went in haste to the hill country, to a town in Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed in a loud voice: «Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord». Then Mary said: «My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked upon the humility of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; his mercy is from generation to generation for those who fear him. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed. He has helped Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever». Mary remained with her about three months, then returned to her home. 

The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel

Mary’s Assumption is a great mystery that concerns each one of us; it concerns our future. Mary, in fact, goes before us on the path along which those who, through Baptism, have bound their lives to Jesus are journeying, just as she bound hers to him. Today’s solemnity makes us look to heaven; it heralds the new heavens and the new earth, with the victory of the risen Christ over death and the definitive defeat of the Evil One. Therefore, the joy of the humble girl from Galilee, expressed in the canticle of the Magnificat, becomes the song of all humanity, which rejoices to see the Lord bend down over all men and women, humble creatures, and take them with him into heaven.