Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Then a great sign appeared in the sky: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Apocalypse12:1)
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, celebrated on August 15, underscores the transition from her earthly life to her life in Heaven, alongside her Son, where she was taken with her soul and body and received there.
Dogma of faith
The dogma of faith of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1950, Holy Year.
He did so by issuing the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus on the glorification of Mary:
“Therefore, after having raised again to God supplicating petitions, and having invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, to the glory of Almighty God, who has poured into the virgin Mary his special benevolence to the honor of his Son, immortal King of the ages and victor over sin and death, to the greater glory of his august Mother and to the joy and exultation of the whole church, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, the holy apostles Peter and Paul and Ours, we pronounce, declare and define to be dogma revealed by God that: the immaculate Mother of God ever virgin Mary, having finished the course of earthly life, was assumed to heavenly glory in body and soul. Therefore, if anyone, God forbid, should dare to deny or voluntarily cast doubt on what has been defined by Us, let him know that he has failed the divine and Catholic faith.”
For the Church, Mary was the only person, along with Jesus, to be assumed into heaven, that is, with both soul and body.
Most Holy Mary in the history of salvation
In fact, according to tradition, since the 2nd century, the Virgin Mary has been presented by the Fathers of the Church as the New Eve, the strong woman who overcame and continues to overcome evil.
The place of Mary Most Holy in salvation history, in the life and mission of Jesus Christ and the Church is explained very well in the various Church documents.
Therefore, the Fathers of the Church, on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption, paused during their homily to consider and emphasize the fact that, the object of the feast, was not only the fact that Mary’s body had been preserved from corruption, but also and especially her triumph over death and her glorification in Heaven.
Mary on the way with her Son Jesus
Sacred Scripture, presents us with the Mother of God closely united with her Son Jesus, standing in solidarity and sharing with Him in the redemptive mission.
Heavenly Mother was the one who, at the Wedding at Cana, revealed herself as a Mother who was always attentive to the needs of all her Children, capable of interceding with her Son Jesus and also taught us the great value of confident expectation, “Do whatever He tells you.”
She, also in today’s Celebration, reminds us that we are all pilgrims on this earth, but with a mission to fulfill and she stands before us as Mother and Teacher. The saints are those who have been able not only to invoke her but to follow her example by accepting God’s will in their lives by joyfully saying in Mary’s Yes. Our true homeland is Heaven and our Mother, in all her appearances, spurs us on admonishes us and encourages us because she desires that we can all go to her. Where Jesus stands there stands Mary and where Mary stands we all stand, under the Cross Jesus in the figure of John, the disciple Jesus loved, “Woman behold your son, son behold your mother….”.
Most Holy Mary example of humility
From these words of Jesus dying on the Cross, we can understand how his first intent is not to entrust his Mother to the disciple John, but to hand over the disciple to Mary, giving the latter a new maternal mission. We have all been entrusted to her, thus establishing new relationships of love between the Virgin Mary and all humanity.
To her we entrust our lives and ask that she obtain for us the gift of great Humility, for which she was chosen to be Mother of the Redeemer, thus becoming the first disciple of Jesus and Daughter of her Son united fully with Him in the mystery of the salvation of all humanity!