“Embrace our Youth O Morning Star”
This is the theme we have chosen for this year’s Feast of the Assumption at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral. Why?
Mary is given the title of Morning Star because she was the first to respond with a humble yes to God’s plan of salvation. Explained through earthly terms, the morning star is the first light in the dark of the night, signifying the arrival of a greater light, the Sun. Applied to our faith, Mary became the first light, the first ray of hope; the deliverer of the greatest light, her Son Jesus. And just as the Sun outpowers all other sources of light, so too in the case of Mary and Jesus the same also happens. When Christ is born, His light radiates so powerfully that the light of the Morning Star becomes one with His light. This is not to say that Mary no longer had a role or was thrown to the side once she gave birth, rather she became ONE with the true source of light, Jesus. And just as the morning star, during daylight hours, cannot be seen but we know it is still there, so too, is the case between Mary and Jesus This is evident in the life and ministry of Jesus and at His Passion, Death and Resurrection, where we see Mary always and ever-present with Him. The Morning Star does not try to outshine the Son nor does it take away from His Light, rather she becomes a part of it allowing the True Light to embrace her so that she also reflects the Light of her Son.
This brings us to the next explanation of our theme Embrace our Youth! The word “embrace” means “to hold someone closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection”. Just as Mary holds Christ affectionately in her arms and just as Christ also holds His mother in His arms, so too we ask the Morning Star to embrace our youth – the beacons of light – that will continue to shine in our Church. The verb embrace can also mean to “include or contain something or someone as an integral part.” Just as Mary, the Morning Star was included and contained as an integral part in the True Light who is Christ, so too we implore her asking that our Youth be contained as an integral part in the Church and ultimately in the mission and life of Christ. The focus on the youth was a deliberate occurrence as The Australian Bishops have identified the liturgical year of 2018, beginning on the 3rd December 2017, as a national Year of Youth. The Year of Youth invites the Church into dialogue about the importance and life-giving presence of young people in the Church and society.
The Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, the Mother of the Saviour, is a masterpiece in the plan of Salvation and in the work of the Holy Trinity: Mary, the Morning Star is the daughter of the Father, the Creator of the Universe. She is also the Mother of the Son, the True Light of the World. Finally, the Morning Star is the Bride of the Holy Spirit, the heat that dissipates from the Son and fills our entire being. The love of the Father filled her, the grace of her Son saved her and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit sanctified her. So we ask of her throughout our Feast Week celebrations that our Youth emulate her example in thought, in word and in deed.
On behalf of His Excellency, Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, all the Clergy and staff of Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral, I would like to thank all our 2018 Feast Week sponsors, volunteers and all those who prayed for the success of the Feast and I wish you, our youth and all our families a blessed and joyous Feast. God bless you all.
Fr Tony Sarkis
