Assumption of Mother Mary feast celebrated

News & photos: Mr John Menezes, Moodbidri
 

Aug. 15: The Feast of Assumption of Mother Mary was celebrated today – Monday the 15th of August 2011 at the Corpus Christi Church – Moodbidri.The Mass started at 7.30 a.m. celebrated by the parish priest V.Rev. Fr. Austin Peter Peres.

Fr. Austin put before the congregation the message of the feast and India’s 64th Independence Day.

He told the story of a little girl ‘Miriam’ who burnt her favourite doll and spread the ash around as a sacrifice to save the people when all people were reluctant to part with their most loved thing.  When people saw the sacrifice of the little girl, they got moved by her act and also sacrificed their most loved treasure and thus saved themselves. Mary, mother of Jesus also sacrificed her life to the salvation of mankind. She was born without sin, was full of grace and offered herself to God saying” Behold the handmaid of the Lord”.  To such a mother God raised to heaven with body and soul which we celebrate today as the “Assumption”.  For the love of God and mankind we too should be ready to forego our loved treasure for the eternal treasure which God will provide us after death.

He also highlighted the spirit of independence saying that we should not keep pointing at leaders and politicians of the country because when we point one finger at others, the other three fingers point at us, to remind us that we too are responsible for the corruption in the country.  Let us think and sacrifice ourselves when we vote, when we see corruption and work for the real independence of the country which is “loving one another”.

A large gathering attended which overfilled the church.