In celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bishop Dennis Sullivan reminded the faithful that the mother of Jesus never brings attention to herself, but instead always points to her son and invites all to be better disciples of him.
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“This is no timid woman. This is a bold disciple of Christ,” Bishop Sullivan preached in homilies Aug. 14-15 honoring the Feast of the Assumption – the bodily taking up of the Blessed Mother Mary into heaven. “To Jesus through Mary. Four words that succinctly identify a role of the Mother of God. … Mary leads us to him.”
Bishop Sullivan celebrated the Vigil Mass in Wildwood’s Saint Ann Church, Notre Dame de la Mer Parish, and the feast day Mass in Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Church, the Parish of Saint Monica, Atlantic City. Each Mass – concelebrated by parish pastors and fellow priests with deacons and seminarians of the Diocese assisting – was followed by a procession to the ocean for the annual Wedding of the Sea.
The Blessed Mother, the Bishop explained, “was assumed into glory because there was no way the Immaculate Mother of God would be allowed to decay in an earthly grave. … Instead of waiting for the second coming of the Lord, as we must when we die, Mary was glorified immediately. … Her destiny: participating fully in the victory of the Death and Resurrection of the Lord. Brothers and Sisters, this, too, is our destiny and our future, the Risen Life, the resurrection of the dead. What the grace of God achieved for Mary, God’s grace can achieve for us.”
He continued, “As indispensable as she was to Jesus as his mother, in her Assumption, Mary is indispensable to our lives. Her glory points to the glory to come for us, and this fills us with hope. Hope in eternal life after this life.”
As he processed to the beach for the Wedding of the Sea after the Vigil Mass, Wildwood parishioner Stephen Kmec, of the Knights of Columbus Council 2572, said he related to the Bishop’s homily. “Mary is a sign of hope because she encourages us to be more family- and community-oriented. She gives us faith that we can live our lives the way Christ intended us to.”
He continued, saying that like people today, Mary had her trials and tribulations. “Mary saw her son die on the Cross. I’m sure it wasn’t easy raising him, either. Life is always a struggle, but we can have faith in Mary, saying, ‘I know you went through a tough time, too. Help us get through our difficult times. Ask the Lord to get us through.’”
Like Kmec, faithful in Catholic churches along the South Jersey Shore took part in their parish’s Wedding of the Sea processions after Assumption of Mary Masses. In Wildwood, Bishop Sullivan ventured into the sea to cast a wreath and bless the ocean waters. In Atlantic City, Father Kevin Mohan, pastor, took to the waves for the blessing. Afterward, parishioners collected the blessed waters in bottles to take home or share with loved ones.
The Italian tradition traces its roots to Venice around 1000 A.D. A crown of flowers is tossed into the ocean with a blessing for the Mother Mary’s intercession in the relationship between town and sea.
Walking along the beach in Wildwood, Sister Anne Lafferty, IHM, discussed the Blessed Mother’s discipleship.
“Mary said ‘yes’ so that her son would be born to this world to save us. And not just to save us, but show us the face of his Father and the love that God has for us,” Sister Anne said. “The revelation of the Father is Jesus. The revelation of Jesus today are the Sacraments. In every one of the sacraments, Jesus reveals the love, compassion and mercy of the Father.
“That real presence in the Eucharist gives us the strength we need in our daily lives to be like Mary,” Sister Anne continued. “She had the strength of her son. He was always there with her, and that is exactly what the Eucharist is for us.”
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