"Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven; rejoice, for she reigns with Christ for ever." These are the words of the Magnificat antiphon that is found in Evening Prayer for today's Solemnity of the Assumption. In today's Solemnity we are able to celebrate this reality that sheds light upon our own futures. We know how difficult it can be to look into the brightness of the sun and it is indeed the same to behold the great glory of God. It is through Mary that we go in order to arrive at this wonderful splendor. She does not take our devotion and keep it for herself, but instead is always drawing each of us closer to her Son. In today's solemnity she points the way towards Heaven for each of us. This is so because within the Assumption Mary was taken into Heavenly glory. It was with the Ascension into Heaven that Christ, who was God made man, would be called home to Heaven. Through the Assumption we know that Heaven is not only for God, but for all mortals. In the Assumption we see the future where all of us are called to the glory of Heaven. Mary in her great charity always points this path out to us.
Within this solemnity we see the fulfillment of the rewards for a life that has been totally dedicated to God. Mary was conceived without sin in order that the sin brought into the world by Adam and Eve could be conquered. In her yes to the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation she set into motion the reality that God would be brought into the world not through a vessel that was stained by sin, but instead through purity itself. Her yes was given out of charity itself in an outpouring of love for the creator of the universe. Following the birth of her son she did not fall into the uncharitableness of sin, but instead continued to live a life of charity through an outpouring of love for her Son. Upon the cross she watched her Son as He was crucified upon the wood and her heart was indeed pierced according to the prophecy of Simeon. Her heart was always consumed with charity that all may flock towards her Son out of love. For her faithful life she was given the reward of Heaven that each of us hope that we may one day be able to obtain.
With the Assumption we are able to see that our life has been set into motion towards Heaven. All of the actions of Mary show her charity upon this earth where she showed her true devotion to God which earned her the reward of Heaven because uncharity could not be found upon her soul. All of our actions upon this earth also effect the reality of our salvation. We have been given our life by God that we may live a life of charity where we are able to give of ourselves out of love. We are to turn away from our uncharity because in these moments we disorder ourselves from the truth of God and get lost inside of our disordered passions. When we glance into the reality of the Assumption we should should see that our life is being directed entirely towards God, and thus we must do away with all of our uncharitable actions. In embracing a life of charity we will begin to build up virtue within our lives overturning the grasp of Satan upon us. For this we rejoice because the Blessed Virgin was taken up to heaven and now reigns with Christ forever.
As we rejoice at this reality we should not fall into despair because we unlike Mary have been touched by sin. Despite our encounter with sin we are still all called to strive after charity as we work hard inside of the harvest of the Lord to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. We must remember that the greatest action of charity that was ever given was upon the cross. It is through the wood of the cross that Christ suffered and died in order that we may be forgiven. This charitable act continues to pour out forgiveness into our lives that gives us the hope that we can one day join with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Christ in Heaven. Through the greatest act of charity that was ever given we have the hope that we will be taken up to heaven and reign with Christ forever.
When Christ ascended into Heaven He did not leave us alone, but left us with the most charitable institution in the history of the world that is the Church. The Church was instituted by Christ in order that each of us may be led towards the glory of Heaven. Our life is indeed made up of our many struggles, but we cannot allow these to overcome us and to continue to burden our minds. In the charitable institution of the Church there is the concern for salvation for all souls. A concern that everyone will be able to encounter and trust inside of the divine mercy of Christ. Despite the current trajectory that we find ourselves upon we are always called to seek out the mercy of God and to be nourished by the Holy Eucharist. Confession is a charitable sacrament of the Church that allows us to encounter this conversion of heart. The Holy Eucharist is a charitable sacrament which in the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas where there is "nothing in our selves or in our past that one Communion cannot more than repair - if we have but enough faith!" Our growth within these charitable actions will aid our lives in being found fit to be taken up to heaven where we will reign with Christ forever.
On this day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven we see the effects of the person who is totally dedicated to God with their lives. The person who finds themselves totally dedicated in this manner will be taken to Heaven. May each of us strive to dedicate ourselves entirely to God by trusting in the sacraments of the Church when we find that we have strayed from this path. Our devotion to the Blessed Mother shows an outpouring of charity that will always bring us to the mercy of Christ. "Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven; rejoice, for she reigns with Christ for ever." This to is our hope as we glance into the reality of the Assumption.
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