A Reflection on the Assumption of Mary -- More than a Historical Event

By Fr. Tom Collins. 

As we celebrate Our Blessed Mother's Assumption into heaven, it is worth noting that this doctrine does not only point out an historical event, but also subtly indicates a mystery of faith, a spiritual dynamic, whereby communion with God is offering to engage and transform souls, who are willing to take time to contemplate the deeper dimensions of these teachings.

We see this in other Church teachings. For example, the Eucharist (as Word, Word-made-flesh, Sacrifice and Holy Communion) is not only the source and summit of the Church's life, but also the sustenance of that life. "Source and summit" alone could be interpreted to indicate a "salmon spirituality". Such spirituality implies that just as a particular river is the place where a salmon begins and ends its life, most of which is spent away from that river in the ocean, so also Catholics are free to embrace, what we used to call a "hatch, match and dispatch" spirituality (i.e., go to church to be baptized, married and buried). The fact that only a minority of baptized Catholics conscientiously participate in the Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation indicates the appeal of the implications of such a spirituality.
Another example is the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother. The formal declaration of this dogma only specified that she was free of all sin, but only implied that she was filled with the life of God's sanctifying graciousness.

So also, while the formal declaration of the dogma of the Assumption asserted that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven, it did not specify that all her relationships are likewise being gradually assumed into heaven with her. Such an expanded appreciation of this mystery makes sense. After all, through her Immaculate Conception, she already, body and soul, fully and perfectly shared intimately in the life of God's sanctifying graciousness. Her condition was analogous to someone standing on the North Pole. That person cannot go any further north than where he stands. Thus the only way that the dynamic of this mystery can continue is by God graciously drawing all of her ever-expanding relationships into heaven with her.

This seems to be one of the reasons why so many saints through the ages accentuate the importance of total consecration to her, who is the spiritual mother of all Christ's beloved disciples. It also helps to explain the importance of tokens of such a relationship (e.g., Rosaries, scapulars, Miraculous Medals)  and why they are so important in the ministry of evangelization.

Our Blessed Mother was not assumed into heaven in alienation from her children, but rather through her ongoing gracious investment of all she is and has into the souls and relationships of all her spiritual children. Through such relationships, brought to fruition through the gracious fidelity of the Holy Spirit manifested in the life of the Church, God, Who is mighty, continues to do great things for her and through her Church.