Friends, welcome to Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Word on Fire is an

apostolate dedicated to the mission of evangelization using media both old and

new to share the faith on every continent and to facilitate an encounter with

Christ and His Church. The efforts of Word on Fire engage the culture and bring

the transformative power of God's Word where it is most needed. Today we invite

you to join Bishop Robert Barron as he preaches the gospel and shares the

warmth and light of Christ with each one of us.

Peace be with you. Friends, we have the great good fortune this year that August

15th, the solemnity of the assumption of the Virgin falls on us on day. So we

can reflect with a bit more attention on this marvelous feast, this marvelous

solemnity. Let me begin this way. When I was a doctoral student in Paris many

years ago, I used to give tours at Notre Dame Cathedral and one of the last

stops on the tour was out in front looking at the facade and over the left

portal of Notre Dame. I would always point out this curious juxtaposition, a

statue of Mary, the Blessed Mother, and above her head, a little depiction of the

Ark of the Covenant. I would tell the people that this is based in the reflection

of the Church Fathers. And the idea is that Mary, who carried in her womb, the

very Word of God, was the Ark of the Covenant Par excellence. If the ancient

Ark carried the remnants of the tablets of the Ten Commandments, some manna, they

say the the staff of Aaron. And it was the most sacred object for ancient Israel.

Well, Mary surpasses that Ark because she carried within her own body the

very Word of God. Well, all of this is reflected really strongly and it's

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