INTRODUCTION
The doctrine and the belief that the blessed Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven at the end of her earthly life dates many years back into the history of the Church. But it was not until this doctrine came under attack after the Protestant Reformation that Pope Pius XII had to define it as a dogma of the Church, a truth every professing Catholic must believe (CCC 966). The Second Vatican Council equally affirmed this dogma, stating: “… the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things” (Lumen Gentium, 59).
Meanwhile in his decree on the Dogma of the Assumption in 1950, Pope Pius XII gives four theological reasons to support this traditional belief.
1. The degeneration or decay of the body after death is the result of original sin. However, since, through a special intervention of God, Mary was born without original sin, it is not proper that God would permit her body to degenerate in the tomb.
2. Since Mary was given the fullness of grace, Heaven is the proper place for this sinless mother of Jesus.
3. Mary cooperated with God in the redemptive mission of Christ. Hence, her rightful place is with Christ our redeemer in heavenly glory.This is what St. Paul meant when he said “We are God’s co-workers” I Cor. 3:9.). Hence, it is “fitting” that she should be given the full effects of the Redemption, the glorification of the soul and the body.
4. In the Old Testament, we read that the prophet Elijah was taken into heaven in a fiery chariot. Thus, it appears natural and possible that the mother of Jesus would also be taken into Heaven.
FIRST READING : Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a.10ab
John in his apocalyptic writing testifies about a vision into the great event in heaven about a woman in labour and a dragon. Through this, he communicates to the members of the Christian community of his time who were passing through moments of persecution to bear in mind that the Christ whom they professed to follow also passed through the same trial. However, since He (Christ) was not defeated, they too will not be defeated even though they may have to suffer bodily persecution.
According to older interpretation, the woman in the vision of John represents the new Israel or the Church which is meant to deliver Christ to the world. On the other hand, the dragon which represents the force of evil in the world would want to destroy the Messiah, therefore bringing to an end the mission of the Church. Thus, the defeat of the dragon ensures that evil can never overcome good, and the kingdom of darkness will never succeed over the kingdom of light. Both Christ and her bride, the, Church must emerge triumphant. On the contrary, the modern theologians associate the woman with Mary who alone had the privilege of bearing the only Son of God. In line with the later interpretation, the Church sees in this heavenly woman the Blessed Virgin, “taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:16) and conqueror of sin and death” (Lumen Gentium 59).
SECOND READING: 1Conrinthians 15: 20-27
In this passage of his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul defends his theology of the resurrection of the dead. He makes his audience to understand that death does not have the final word in their lives. Christ does because he has the authority and the power to destroy death forever which is the greatest enemy of man. This outrightly blends with the feast of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven because death did not hold her hostage. (Fr Anthony Kadavil).
GOSPEL: Luke 1: 39-56
The Gospel passage is a Post Annunciation. Luke connects the story of Mary to that of Elizabeth as an expression of the same theological events: the life and mission of John the Baptist is only meaningful in the life and mission of Christ.
The scene describes Mary’s meeting with Elizabeth in “a city of Judah.” The fact is reported in the Gospel according to Luke (1: 39-55). The canticle identifies in three different phases in which the history of salvation interpreted in the light of the new events took place:
1). In the first part (vv. 48-50) the goodness of the Almighty is exalted and the willingness of those who accept to share his plan expressed,
2). In the second part, (vv. 51-53) a reversal of perspective is announced: the fidelity of the Saviour, who has already historically proven his goodness is a reality and not an utopian hope,
3). In the third part (vv. 54- 55) makes it clear that the promises made to Israel are coming to their fulfillment: Jesus is the fullness and fulfillment of the promised salvation. In Mary’s words many themes already present in the Old Testament echo again and again, especially in the Psalms and in the canticle of Anna (1Sam 2,1-10). They are themes of praise and gratitude towards the God who frees, but in the mouth of the Mary they assume a new connotation. The greatness of the Lord is about to take place in an extraordinary way though her: there are no more Old Testament traces of revenge, there are no enemies to destroy, but a renewed world where even the rich would be freed from their empty riches and thus regain the same dignity prepared for the poor: “By overthrowing the powerful, God frees them from their vain illusions and promotes them to the dignity of the poor”. Due to these links with the Old Testament, the hypothesis has been advanced that the magnificat, like the other two canticles present in the Gospel, were already liturgical material used in a Judeo-Christian environment and which Luke adopted and adapted to the scene of the visitation. Probably the evangelist found this canticle in the environment of the “poor” where perhaps it was attributed to the daughter of Sion: he thought it convenient to place it on Mary’s lips, inserting it in her prose story. As for the authenticity of the attribution of these words to Mary, “several scholars have wondered how Mary could have pronounced such a dense text, given the fact that she was very young and the very limited in the culture and experience of life. Mary made the canticle a narrative of her story and experience of God. She expressed how God is pleased with the humility of the poor: the poor in the sense of the Gospel (those who for the sake of God have forfeited the glory of the world) and whom God have lifted up (fra Vincenzo). Mary echoes the exaltation of the Lord which blends with the feast of the day. Thus, the feast of the Assumption celebrates the mercy of God or rather the victory of God’s mercy and glory over the poor.
LIFE MESSAGES
1. Mary’s Assumption gives us the assurance and hope of our own resurrection and assumption into Heaven on the day of our Last Judgment.
2. Since Mary’s Assumption was a reward for her saintly life, this feast reminds us that we, too, must be pure and holy in body and soul, since our bodies will be glorified on the day of our resurrection.
3. This feast also gives us the message of total liberation. It encourages us that it is only through our cooperation with God that we can be liberated from the bondage of evil.
4. The feast of Mary’s Assumption challenges us to imitate her self-sacrificing love, her indestructible Faith and her perfect obedience.
5. Mary has meritoriously gained heaven by her single act of “yes” to God and by consequence has gained access to every grace that comes from God. Thus feast invites us to rely always on her maternal intercession. (Fr Anthony kadavali).
PRAYER
Almighty ever-living God, who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, body and soul into heavenly glory, grant we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above, we may merit to be sharers of her glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
PAX VOBIS!
