Today, on this beautiful Solemnity, we rejoice with all of heaven in the great things Almighty God has done for and through our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. From all eternity He chose her to be the Mother of His Son, and at the end of her earthly life— as proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950— she was “assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”
Mary’s life was uniquely chosen and blessed. From an early age, as non-biblical tradition tells us, she was consecrated to God by her parents, Saints Joachim and Anne, and raised in the temple. Adorned with holiness and devoted entirely to God’s will, she grew in virtue. When the Archangel Gabriel greeted her as “full of grace,” it was not simply a salutation of honour but an exalted title for the one who would bear Emmanuel—God with us.
In the first reading, Saint John speaks of a sign in heaven: “a woman clothed with the sun.” How fitting that in Fatima, when Mary promised a sign to confirm the apparitions, the miracle involved the sun itself—dancing in the sky, descending for a moment, and then returning to its place. This striking image reflects the mystery of the Incarnation: the Son of God descended from heaven, dwelt among us for a time, and returned to the glory of the Father.
How wonderful and great must have been the joy in heaven, when Mary was assumed, body and soul, into the presence of God—a triumph unlike any other, second only to Christ’s ascension to the right hand of the Father.
A few questions come to mind: Will our bodies also be reunited with our souls? Yes—on the last day, through God’s grace, if we cooperate with it. Did Mary suffer the pains of death? The dogma does not say. It states only that she “completed the course of her earthly life.” Tradition speaks of her Dormition in Jerusalem, where her body was placed in a tomb before God assumed her into heaven. Some theologians note that, being sinless, she need not have died; others suggest she freely chose death to perfectly imitate her Son, who, though without sin, embraced suffering out of love for humanity.
As her children, we too are called to imitate her in imitating Christ—for in this lies our eternal blessing and peace. Be courageous, and make the changes necessary today. Commit to prayer more, and to almsgiving. Extend your gaze outwards, more on God and your neighbour, and less on yourself and your frivolous worries. Trust in Him Who was able to adorn our Blessed Mother with gifts beyond all telling to bless you with special heavenly graces as well.
Most Holy Mother assumed into Heaven, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.
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