AUGUST 15, ASSUMPTION (A, B, C)  Lectionary #621–622
This feast celebrates our belief that Mary shares fully (body and soul) in the resurrection of her son and that after her death she was taken to heaven with him. Many interpreters see this faith in Mary's assumption as a promise that all faithful believers will likewise share fully in the gift of the resurrection.

Vigil Mass (#621)
The ark of the covenant, symbol of God's presence, is evoked as an image of Mary's womb, which bore the Savior.

1 Chronicles 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2. In festival procession, David brings the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, thus uniting in one place the symbols of religious and political unity.

Vigil Mass Psalm:  Ps (131) 132
This royal psalm celebrates the "Zion tradition," that is, the belief that God has chosen to "dwell" in the Jerusalem Temple, where the ark serves as God's "footstool," so that God's presence on earth shares space in the city that is also the political capital of Israel.

Lord, Go Up to the Place of Your Rest (Guimont/Reagan) PRM A104
Lord, Go Up to the Place of Your Rest (Schaffer)  PC6 82    
Lord, Go Up to the Place of Your Rest (Schiavone/Gelineau)  WOR 1045/RS 180
Lord, Go Up to the Place of Your Rest (Tucker)  SMM3 152

1 Corinthians 15:54b-57. Jesus' death has transformed the meaning and power of death and has drawn out its "sting."

Luke 11:27-28. Praise of Mary as the "ark" that carried Jesus is met by him with praise for all those who receive and "carry" the word of God.

Songs for the Liturgy
See the list of suggestions below, for Mass during the day.

Mass during the Day (#622)
Images abound and overlap, so that sometimes we see Mary, sometimes we see individual believers, and sometimes we see the church as the bearer of Christ.

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab. Is the "ark of the covenant" visible in the heavenly temple a symbol of Mary, of Christ, or of God? Is the "woman clothed with the sun" supposed to represent Mary or the church—or both at the same time, with Mary serving as a symbol of the church?

Psalm for Mass during the Day:  Ps (44) 45
A royal psalm to welcome a new queen, used here to honor Mary as "queen of heaven."

De Pie a Tu Derecha (Sosa)  FYC 207
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Bolduc) PRM A105
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Carroll/Murray)  CBW 223
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (della Picca)  PC6 83 
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Guimont)  RS 78
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Hughes/Gelineau)  WOR 1046          
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Hughes)  CCS 2028          
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Keil)  JS 44/MI-BB/SP5 28
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Kodner)  GC 52
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Kogut) PCY10 18
The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand (Rachelski)  SMM3 154

1 Corinthians 15:20-27. Paul is explaining why Christ has not returned in glory, as early believers expected, and why Christians are dying, when they are supposedly freed from death through Christ's death and resurrection. He says that we all will go through what Jesus went through—death first, followed by resurrection. Christ is the "firstfruits" of God's harvest, but we will all share in the harvest.

Luke 1:39-56. The story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth echoes, in a sense, and expands on the point made in the Gospel for the Vigil Mass: Elizabeth sings of Mary's election as "blessed among women," and Mary sings of God's blessings not only to her but to all who fear God "in every generation." God's "mercy," in Mary's song, turns everything upside down.

Songs for the Liturgy

Adiós, Reina del Cielo Cantos 197/FYC 471/GP 438
All Who Claim the Faith of Jesus (G)  GC 787/RS 897
Ave Maria (G)  WOR 713/LMGM 95/WC 964/JS 493, 504/GC 785, 789/GC2 772, 774/RS 896, 898/MI‑BB
*Canticle of the Turning (G)  GC 556/GC2 527/RS 678
*Great Is the Lord (G)  GP 163
Hail, Holy Queen, Enthroned Above (1)  WOR 702/GP 425/CBW 457/LMGM 97/BB/WC 972/JS 519/GC 784/GC2 784/RS 883/WS
Hail Mary: Gentle Woman (1,G)  GP 426/JS 489/GC 782/GC2 779/MI‑BB/WC 966
Hail, Queen of Heav'n, the Ocean Star  CBW 458
*Hearken, O Daughter (Ps)  WC 387
Highly Favored One  CBW 459
*Holy Is His Name (G)  MI‑BB/GP 433/JS 505
*Holy Is Your Name (G)  GC 147/GC2 83
Holy Mary, Full of Grace  CBW 461
Jesus Has Conquered Death (2)  LMGM 62     
*Magnificat/Canticle of Mary (2)  WOR 15, 87, 88, 534, 553/WC 208, 226, 452, 454/MI‑BB/RS 17, 209, 210, 211, 656, 675/GP 163, 291, 292, 427, 428, 433, 434, 436/GC 14, 145, 146, 534, 788/GC2 84, 522, 773/CBW 14I, 575, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678/JS 11, 119, 495, 501/WS
Mary, How Lovely the Light of Your Glory  WOR 711
Mary, Woman of the Promise  JS 496      
O Holy Mary (1)  MI‑BB/JS 494
O Sanctissima  WOR 712/CBW 468/WC 978/GC 780/GC2 775/RS 900/WS/JS 500
Salamu Maria/Hail Mary (G)  LMGM 98
Salve Regina (G)  WOR 703/CBW 469/LMGM 96/WC 974/GC 779/GC2 780/JS 499/RS 894/MI‑BB/WS
She Will Show Us the Promised One, v 6  WC 977
Sing We of the Blessed Mother, v 4 (2)  WOR 714/GC 786/GC2 776/RS 895
Sing with All the Saints in Glory (2)  WOR 467/GC 442/GC2 442/JS 789/RS 595/CBW 406/GP 724/WC 940/WS
Stainless the Maiden, vss 2-4 (1)   WC 967
Star above the Ocean (1)  JS 504/WC 968/MI‑BB
*Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord (G)  WOR 534/CBW 575
Thanks Be to You (G)  GC 569/RS 708
There Is Nothing Told  GP 431/MI-BB/JS 502
Virgin Born, We Bow Before You (Vigil)  WOR 403/RS 527
Virgin, Full of Grace (G)  WC 979
Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones, v 2 (G)   WOR 707/MI‑BB/LMGM 104/WC 961/JS 528/RS 886/GC 794/GC2 790/GP 446/WS