Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above!

Mary’s selflessness, her ability to console, her willingness to bring us all to her Son Jesus in our spiritual journey—all of this makes her worthy of the honor we acknowledge on this important Solemnity.

Mariano Salvador Maella (1739–1819), “The Assumption of Mary”
Mariano Salvador Maella (1739–1819), “The Assumption of Mary” (photo: Public Domain)

The Church celebrates the Assumption of Mary, body and soul into heaven, on August 15. In the early Christian Church they referred to it as the “Dormition” or “Falling Asleep” of Mary.

While we don’t know the circumstances of her passing, some speculate that, because she was free of sin, she died peacefully in her sleep. We don’t know for certain. It’s difficult to think about Mary, the mother of Jesus and our Mother in heaven, dying at all, because she is such an important part of our relationship with Jesus. When Jesus was dying on the cross he gave us his mother to be our mother:

When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing near, he said to His mother, ‘woman, behold your son!  Then he said to the disciple, ‘behold your mother! (John 19:26-27)

Through her later apparitions she has attempted to bring so many people to her Son by reminding us of the importance of prayer and repentance.  She has asked for churches to be built as places of prayer and pilgrimage. 

Some think that she was with the disciples when she died (or “fell asleep”).  After laying her to rest in a tomb close to Mt. Zion near Jerusalem, it was believed that she was taken body and soul and assumed into heaven since later visitors to her tomb found it empty. In the seventh century the “memory of Mary” was celebrated. Later this celebration became known as the Feast of the Assumption. 

Why is it important to celebrate a feast day centered on Mary’s being assumed into heaven? 

It seems logical to me that Mary would have not died as we know death. She was free of sin. She was also the Mother of God. She gave birth to the Son of God.  She gave birth to our merciful forgiver of all sins. In a certain sense, death as we know is a sort of punishment for our sins. Mary was without sin. In that light, her Assumption seems most appropriate.

When you study the approved apparitions of Mary, you realize that Mary’s goal is to bring the world to her Son. “Oh, mother of God, you conceived the living God; by your prayers, you will deliver all our souls from death.”

 “Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?”  And stretching out his hand toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brethren.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. (Matthew 12:48-50)

The Feast of the Assumption then is an important reminder of the continuing story of Mary:

Likewise Mary shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (cf. 2 Peter 3:10) as a sign of certain hope and comfort for the Pilgrim People of God. (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 68).

Mary’s selflessness, her ability to console, her willingness to bring us all to her Son Jesus in our spiritual journey—all of this makes her worthy of the honor we acknowledge on this important Solemnity.

 

This story originally appeared at the Register on August 15, 2016.