A few days separate us from the celebration of the “Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” which we celebrate on Friday, Misra16 (August 22). We pray to God to bless Egypt through intercessions of “the Virgin Mary,” who blessed it when she fled to it with her child “the Lord Christ” and the righteous saint “Joseph the Carpenter.”
The “Feast of Virgin Mary” comes after a fifteen-day fast offered by the disciples of Lord Christ and His pure Apostles. “Virgin Mary” reposed on Tobi 21 (corresponding to January 30). At the time of her departure, “Thomas the Apostle” was not present for her burial rites, due to his absence on a missionary journey in India.While returning from his journey to Jerusalem, he witnessed a wondrous sight: angels carrying the body of “the Virgin Mary” to heaven! One of the angels said to him: “Hasten and be blessed by the body of the Virgin Mary.”
When “Thomas the Apostle” met with the rest of the Apostles, he asked them about “the Virgin Mary,” and they informed him of her passing (her death). “Thomas the Apostle” then asked to see her burial place. When they went to it and did not find the blessed body of “the Virgin Mary,” he recounted to them what he had seen. The Apostles then yearned to see that sacred sight. They began a fast on Misra 1 (August 7), fasting and praying to God that they might receive that blessing. On Misra 16 (August 22), God revealed to them the body of “Virgin Mary,” and they were blessed by it. Since that time, the assumption of the body of “Virgin Mary” into heaven became a feast to be celebrated.
In the previous article, I tackled “Virgin Mary,” who has attained a great status in the hearts of all Egyptians, as she is the only woman in human history to whom heaven has borne witness. We mentioned that the life of “Virgin Mary” is filled with virtues, including the virtue of hope, which comes from faith in God and in His mercy, love, and wisdom. Today, we tackle Virgin Mary’s life which was filled with a love for God that surpassed all imagination.
From the time “Virgin Mary” lived in the Temple at the age of three, serving God, her life became a hymn of love for God. She was occupied with nothing but prayer to God and communion with Him. Here I recall the words of “Pope Shenouda III” about “Virgin Mary”: “And in the Temple, she learned the life of solitude and silence, and to be occupied with prayer and contemplation. Having lost the love and affection of her parents, she became occupied with the love of God alone.” Thus, she lived the greatest commandment of God: Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God.'” (Mark 12:29-30). In that love, she was worthy to receive grace from God.
We find the Archangel “Gabriel” greeting her: “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28). We also see her love for God when she was given the glad tidings from heaven: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:31-32). She answered the annunciating angel: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord” (Luke 1:38). And she lived her life caring for and accompanying Christ in His ministry.
Her love for God overflowed from her heart to the extent that she loved others. It was she who served her elderly relative Elizabeth while she was in her sixth month of pregnancy, until she gave birth to her son “John the Baptist.” It was she who interceded with her Son, “the Lord Christ,” on behalf of the people at the wedding of Cana of Galilee. And in the greatness of her love for God and for the world, she endured the sword that pierced her heart, about which “Simeon the Elder” had prophesied: “yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Luke 2:35), when she saw the sufferings of her Son as He was scorned and hung on the cross without fault or crime that He had committed. For this was the will of God, “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). She said: “As for the world, it rejoices in receiving salvation, but my heart burns when I look upon Your crucifixion, which You endure for the sake of all, O my Son and my God.”
Many Happy Returns.. And the conversation in “Beautiful Egypt” never ends!
