On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII declared: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” Pius XII proclaimed this dogma only after consulting with a broad consensus of bishops, theologians and laity. What the pope declared was already a common belief amongst the Catholic faithful. This belief can be traced all the way back to the 6th century.
Sacred Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Nevertheless, the book of Revelation speaks of a woman who has a key role in the eternal battle between good and evil. We can see Mary as embodying the people of both Old and New Testaments. Thus, the Assumption of Mary can be seen as an exemplification of the victory of the woman depicted in Revelation.
Today’s Gospel of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth reminds us that her Assumption into heaven is best understood when we look at the entirety of our Catholic belief of the person of Mary and the person of Jesus. The Blessed Virgin, born without stain of original sin, gave birth to the Christ child, who was both fully God and fully human. In Mary's special role in God's plan of salvation, she does not suffer from death or decay, which are the effects of sin. Mary, truly the first disciple, receives the fullness of the redemption that her son achieved for all of humanity. We, the faithful, recognize Mary as the sign of salvation that God promises to all of Christ’s disciples.
When I think of Mary, I not only think about the Mother of God, Jesus’ mother, but also of a woman of great faith. Mary’s faith not only gave her the courage and resolve to endure the suffering and burdens that she endure, but it enabled her to see the ways that God was at work in the history of humanity and in her own life. Mary’s openness to God’s will in her life allowed God to work through her. Mary, we unite our prayers with you this day as we celebrate with all of our hearts your assumption into heaven. Mary, mother of God and queen of heaven and earth, pray for us.
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