As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we rejoice that she, who never knew sin, also never underwent bodily corruption.
In the Mother of the Lord, we see God’s original intention and purpose for us before the downfall of Original Sin — a holy integrity of body, soul, mind, and heart, free from sin and death.
The Assumption gives us hope, that we who have sinned and will experience bodily corruption, will rise again in glory because of Mary’s Son’s victory over evil.
Although the Church held the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the beginnings of the faith, only in 1950 was it declared as infallible teaching by Pope Pius XII.
Theological commentators have reflected since then on the timing of this proclamation, coming only five years after the end of World War II, by the pope who had led the Church and suffered with the world through that evil cataclysm which claimed 73 million lives.
Could it be that Pius XII wanted to lift up the dignity of the human body and the human person in light of such horrific genocide, to remind a world which was literally strewn with millions of dead bodies, of the glory of our humanity created by the Father and redeemed in Christ?
In light of all the confusion and evil surrounding us today regarding the dignity of human life, the gift of sexuality, and the truth of our identity, we can look to Mary as a sign of luminous hope and a source of powerful intercession.
The woman clothed with the sun, the Blessed Virgin reigns as Queen of Heaven, praying for us, calling us to holiness and obedience, pointing us to her Son as our Redeemer and Savior.
We are not simply spirits trapped in a material form, as the ancient Greek philosopher Plato asserted.
We are incarnate children of God with both a body and a soul, destined to ultimately be in the glory of the Trinity in all of our human integrity and beauty.
That conviction is why we believe in the resurrection of the body.
Let Mary guide you
I encourage everyone to pray the Rosary every day, for the Church, our country, and our world.
In these troubled and challenging times, we know that only the love of the Lord Jesus can heal, bless, and save us.
In pondering the Mysteries of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection, we are drawn into the living Gospel of His truth and love.
When we pray the Rosary, we ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to unlock the treasure house of her Immaculate Heart and to share with us her living experiences of Jesus.
The daily Rosary may challenge us in its repetition of the Mysteries and its prayers; we can be easily distracted by the routine.
That challenge is why I utilize a little book called “Scriptural Rosary,” which offers a brief verse from the Gospels for every “Hail Mary” bead.
This fusion of the Rosary and Scripture helps keep my mind and heart focused on the Mystery at hand and leads me to a deeper appreciation of the Lord, whom I seek to contemplate in my mind and heart.
Invite Mary into your heart, your marriage, your family, and your home!
Her consoling, gentle, and loving presence will transform our lives and lead us to a greater adherence to Jesus and a deeper capacity to live the Gospel.
She was the first one to hear the astonishing Good News of the Incarnation of the Lord, that she would bear the Son of God and give the Second Person of the invisible, immortal, thrice-holy, blessed Trinity His humanity.
Her maternity flows from her faith; her role as Theotokos, the “God-Bearer,” stems from her discipleship.
St. Augustine tells us in rather startling fashion that we too are called to give birth to the Lord through a life of faith, holiness, prayer, and service; to make Jesus Christ incarnate here and now through our discipleship.
Think of how our participation in and reception of the Eucharist binds us to the Lord and makes us extensions of His Body through time and space.
All of the saints certainly show us the way in this spiritual path of evangelization and witness, but the Blessed Virgin Mary is the prime and perfect model and guide for us in our service to the King of Heaven.