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.

Keep This In Mind As You Reflect on the Sad Situation in the Church

I'm reading Bishop Gracida's Autobiography, An Ordinary's Not So Ordinary Life. [Visit Bishop Gracida's Blog, Abyssum Abyssum Invocat.] In the preface, Fr. Patrick Serna makes an observation that should give us all comfort as we see horrifying revelations explode almost daily:

Celebration of the Assumption: An Escort for the Queen

How I love this Rubens' depiction of the Assumption of Mary into heaven escorted by the angels while the apostles and faithful women attend her and witness the taking up after her dormition, literally her "falling asleep." The Assumption was a frequent Rubens theme, but I particularly love this one which perhaps shows her in the last moments before awakening. She is like the fairy tale princess who is revived by her one true love. Oh that we should all awake on the day of our deaths to see Jesus, Who is Love, face to face!

Did Mary die? While the Church doesn't teach dogmatically on the subject, tradition says yes; but her body was incorruptible until it was reunited with her soul and taken up to heaven. Read a lovely description of what the early Church believed here. 

Would not the Mother of Jesus who watched at the foot of Christ's cross as He suffered and died, not want to share in that final act of humility? Thank you, Mother Mary. You who were free from original sin, nevertheless chose to accept its consequences in reparation for our sins and to save us from spiritual death. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

On the Feast of the Assumption - A Garland for Mary

Chicago's Rosary in the Sky  No doubt Mary was looking down with baby Jesus and smiling. "See the beautiful gift for me from the little ones?" How much Jesus must love children since He came as one. Say a Hail Mary of thanks for these young witnesses to life and love for the faith. What a gift for Mary on her feast day!

Feast of the Assumption

The Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady emphasizes the importance of sacred tradition to our faith. Nowhere in the Bible is there anything about Mary being taken into heaven (or her Immaculate Conception for that matter). The end of her life, like its beginning, is shrouded in mystery.

Did Mary suffer the pangs of death? The Church doesn't tell us. She, who shared in the passion of her Son, could have desired to imitate His end on earth by physically dying. On the other hand, since death had already been overcome and since Mary had shared spiritually in His suffering and death, was her physical death necessary? Mary would choose as she always did, "Be it done unto me according to your Word." Mary's entire life was a dying to self; the end of her time on earth would be the same.

Whether or not Mary died physically, the Church has believed since the fourth century that she was taken up body and soul into heaven where she is enthroned as Queen of heaven and earth.

Mary, Queen of angels, Queen of patriarchs, Queen of all the faithful, pray for us.