The Assumption of Mary body and soul into heaven is the finishing touch of the Magnificat, where the great works that the Almighty performed on His Humble Slave are made visible.
Today we see Mary in her stellar triumph, radiant. The Most Blessed Virgin appears assumed into heaven, resplendent with beauty. Everything in Her is light and radiance, splendid and dazzling beauty. The most beautiful, most portentous celestial bodies clothe and adorn the little Villager of Nazareth, who, because She is small, pleased the Lord. A totally luminous and pure woman, She has received everything from God. God Himself is her adornment, her light, her beauty
But the Assumption does not distance Her from us. Quite the opposite! Each one of us, her children, is a claim to her maternal Heart.
In Heaven we have a Mother
We have been created to live with a Mother. And that wish comes true in the Assumption of the Virgin. It is worth living, suffering; suffering in Mary and for Mary, to arrive one day at the eternal encounter with her in heaven, which is the encounter with God. Fully convinced, Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe wrote:
«Dear children, in difficulties, in darkness, in weaknesses, in discouragements … let us remember that paradise … is approaching. Every day that passes is one less day of waiting. Cheer up then! The Immaculate One waits for us up there to press us to her Heart. How I would like to tell you and repeat to you how good the Immaculate Conception is, so that I can forever remove sadness, interior despondency and discouragement from your little hearts! The sole invocation of “Mary” even with the soul submerged in darkness, in aridity and even in the misfortune of sin, produces a very strong echo in her Heart that loves us so much. And the more unhappy the soul is, sunk in guilt, the more the Virgin surrounds it with loving and solicitous protection, who is a refuge for us sinners. Do not grieve at all if you do not feel such love. If you want to love, this is already a sure sign that you are loving. It is only a love that proceeds from the will. (EK 509). ‘Life is short, suffering is short; and then, paradise, paradise, paradise! Cheer up then! »(EK 965).
The Dogma of the Assumption of Mary
On November 1st, 1950, in the Constitution Munificentisimus Deus, the venerable Pope Pius XII proclaimed as a dogma that the Virgin Mary “completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.”
The dogma of the Assumption states that Mary’s body was glorified after her death. Her immaculate body did not know the corruption of the sepulcher. In other words, while for other men, all of us, the resurrection of bodies will take place at the end of the world, for Mary the glorification of her body was anticipated by a singular privilege and She is already together with her Son Jesus in heaven.
Mary is the first human creature to realize in herself the fullness of happiness that God has promised to the elect through the resurrection of bodies. In Mary Most Holy we contemplate the final destiny of those who “hear the Word of God and do it” (Lk 11:28).
With the resurrection, the entire existence of Christ entered eternity. In that resurrection are all those who have been dead and buried with Him.
After Christ his Mother entered, full of grace. The One who never had an empty, sterile moment in her life that She had to deny. Every day, every hour, every pulse of her profound life, all her joys and all her sufferings, the most sublime and minute moments, continue to live, everything is assumed in the fullness of the entrance of her body and soul to the blessed homeland. She shows me the path to heaven, narrow path, will I follow it?
Our Ultimate Goal
The mystery of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven invites us to reflect on the meaning of our life here on earth, on our ultimate goal: Eternal Life, together with the Blessed Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Angels and Saints of heaven. Knowing that Mary is already in heaven, glorious in body and soul, renews our hope in our future perfect happiness forever.
Contemplating Mary in heavenly glory, we understand that the earth is not a definitive home for us either and that, if we live oriented towards eternal goods, one day we will share her same glory and thus the earth also becomes more beautiful. For this reason, even amid the many daily difficulties, we must not lose serenity and peace.
Love has won
The feast of the Assumption is a day of joy. God has won. Love has won. Life has won. It has been revealed that love is stronger than death, that God has true strength, and His strength is goodness and love.
Mary was raised to heaven body and soul. As Pope Benedict XVI said: «Heaven is no longer a very distant and unknown sphere for us. In heaven we have a Mother. And the Mother of God, the Mother of the Son of God, is our Mother. He said so Himself. He made her our Mother when He said to the disciple and to all of us: “Here is your Mother.” In heaven we have a Mother. Heaven is open; Heaven has a heart» (August 15, 2005).
