Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. Pope Pius XII defined this dogma by stating: “With the course of her earthly life brought to completion, the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, was taken body and soul into celestial glory.”
The Church has knowledge of the earthly remains of so many saints and yet there is no claim that is made concerning the location of Mary’s body for she has been take body and soul into Heaven. This is a fact which is not contested by history, tradition, nor scripture. In the Old Testament Enoch and Elijah do not experience death, but rather he is taken up body and soul. If this be true concerning Enoch and Elijah then the Assumption takes on an important reality for we know that our Blessed Mother was pure and holy and did not experience the stain of sin.
We thus refer to her as being the Ark of the New Covenant. The Ark of the Old Covenant was ornate in nature and was must pure for what it held inside was the presence of God. Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant, takes on this same reality for she contains the presence of God in the form of her Son, Jesus Christ. Thus she must be without sin or blemish because what she bears into the world is God Himself.
As we celebrate this Solemnity of the Church may we come to realize the importance of our Blessed Mother and thus come to foster devotion unto her. At the Assumption she is pointing the way towards Heaven out to each of us. She is encouraging us forward in our life of faith that we may begin each day to purify our heart and soul in order that we may be directed unto Heavenly glory.
It is easy for us to grow discouraged within this earthly life, but we must realize that Mary has now gone before us to point the way towards Heaven and thus too her Son. From her we receive a message not of discouragement, but of encouragement. We are being encouraged that it is possible for us to get to Heaven. We are being encouraged in order that we can come to understand that it is possible to grow ornate in nature as we rid ourself from our relation to sin as we instead grow closer to her Son, Jesus Christ.
Therefore on this great Solemnity of the Church may we allow our Blessed Mother to intercede for us that we may not grow discouraged within this earthly life, but that we will rather become encouraged to chase after Son each day.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
