This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary.

It was on 1 November 1950 that Pope Pius XII defined the dogma of the Assumption, stating that the mother of Jesus, at the end of her earthly life, was assumed (that is taken) body and soul into heaven. Mary does not ascend to heaven like Jesus but is taken into heaven by her Son. Where does this dogma, which Catholics are obliged to believe, stem from? 

All Catholic teaching is based on three things – scripture (the bible), tradition (what our forebears accepted as being true and handed on to us), and the church’s magisterium (what the church teaches through successive Holy Fathers). For a dogma to the held as true and authentic all three elements must be be seen to be there at the same time.

The tradition of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary body and soul into heaven can certainly be traced back to the 6^th century – 500AD, some would say even the 3^rd century – 200AD. Why did people from these times believe in the Assumption? People believed then, as we do now, that the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into heaven was a fitting end to her earthly life and her entry into eternity. Why is this? Well. Mary lived a life free from original sin and throughout her life was "full of grace". Mary had an absolute trust in God despite any risk to her safety and was obedient to His will. She provided love and care to God’s son (and her son too) throughout His life. She was at her son’s side during his torture and death, as we know that she was at the foot of the cross. Mary was a witness to Jesus' resurrection and received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

More personally it is only right that Jesus wanted his mother to be with him and she is given a singular grace, or gift, of being taken into heaven to share her His glory.

Where is the Assumption in the bible? In the first reading on Sunday we hear of the woman who brings a child into the world. It’s a stunning yet disturbing prophetic image. The woman in scripture, identified by many as Mary, is described in cosmic terms. She stands on the moon and is crowned with 12 stars. She brings a male child into the world, who is born to rule all nations, and the woman escapes to a place of safety made ready for her by God himself. Mary in her own life on earth went through many dangers and trials and, in the context of the end of her earthly life, there is no place safer than being in heaven forever with her Son. 

Pope Pius brought to together this scripture and tradition defining the dogma of the Assumption through his exercise of the church’s magisterium.

Why is this important for us today? Beyond the Annunciation, the visit to her cousin Elizabeth which we hear about in Sunday's gospel, and the wedding at Canna, Mary is silent in the gospels, but we know she is there during Jesus’ life because the gospel writers, for example Luke in both his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, tell us this is so. Luke also shows us that Mary is human like us, but her relationship with God is different. At the Annunciation she is hailed as being "full of grace", and at the visitation her older cousin Elizabeth says she is honoured by Mary’s visit and that of all women Mary is the most blessed. 

We see that Mary always does what God wants. Mary accepts God’s will at the annunciation (which places her and her unborn child at personal risk). In the gospel we see how she praises God’s intervention in her life in the Magnificat, where she also proclaims God’s greatness; at Cana she directly tells us to do what Jesus tells us to do; and she is given to us as our mother by Jesus himself at his crucifixion. 

Mary’s love and faithfulness to God the Father and Jesus her Son models for all of us how our relationship with God should be. Her Assumption, body and soul into heaven prefigures our eternal destiny if we are as faithful as her. Mary our mother in heaven loves each and every one of us as much as she loves her son and is always there to intercede for us. Mary our mother wants us, her daughters and sons, to be with her sharing in eternal joy. Like every mother, Mary wants what is best for us.

Mary always points us towards her son and her Assumption into heaven points us towards to God in heaven and leads there.

Let us ask her for her intercession that we may follow the same path to eternal life, happiness, and joy in God’s presence. 

As always, please accept an assurance of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions.

God bless and keep you.

Fr Chris