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“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in
God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty
has done great things for me and holy is his Name.” Luke
1:46–49
Today we celebrate one of seventeen different memorials, feasts and
solemnities in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are found on
the Roman Liturgical Calendar. Today’s celebration is one of the
four great Solemnities by which our Blessed Mother is honored.
Obviously, no other person other than our Lord is honored and
celebrated with as much solemnity as the Mother of God.
The Solemnity of the Assumption honors the fact that when the
Blessed Virgin Mary completed her life on earth, she was taken body
and soul into Heaven to be with her resurrected Son so as to adore
the Most Holy Trinity forever. It’s an amazing fact to consider
that she retains her body and soul, united as one in Heaven, in
anticipation of that glorious day when the new Heavens and Earth
will be created and when all the faithful will rise so as to live
in a new bodily form forever with God.
Though this dogma of our faith had been held and believed by the
faithful from the earliest times of our Church, especially since it
was witnessed by those closest to our Blessed Mother at the time of
her glorious Assumption, it wasn’t until November 1, 1950, that
Pope Pius XII solemnly proclaimed it to be so, raising this
teaching of our faith to the level of a dogma, meaning, it must be
held and believed by all. In part, the Holy Father declared, “...we
pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma:
that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having
completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul
into heavenly glory.”
The Gospel passage quoted above comes from the beginning of Mary’s
song of praise, her Magnificat, by which she not only gives
the greatest glory to God but also reveals who she is. She is the
one whom “all generations” will call “blessed.” She is the one for
whom “the Almighty has done great things.” She is the one who will
eternally proclaim “the greatness of the Lord” and whose spirit
will forever rejoice in God her Savior. And she is that lowliest of
servants whom God has raised up to the greatest glory.
Reflect, today, with the whole Church, upon the Most Glorious
Ever-Virgin Mary who was conceived without sin, remained sinless
throughout her life, and was taken body and soul into Heaven where
she now adores the Most Holy Trinity and intercedes for you and for
the whole Church. This is a Solemnity of great rejoicing! Share in
this joy with the whole Church and with all the saints in
Heaven!
Most glorious and Ever-Virgin Mary, I rejoice today with you and
with the whole Church for the most glorious things that God has
done for you. You are beauty beyond beauty, Immaculate in every
way, and worthy of our deepest love. As you now share body and soul
in the glories of Heaven, please pray for me and for all your dear
children on earth. Cover us with your mantle of love and pour forth
the mercy of God upon us always. Mother Mary, assumed into Heaven,
pray for us who have recourse to thee. Jesus, I trust in
You.
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Featured image above: The Assumption of the Virgin Mary
by Peter Paul Rubens, via Wikimedia Commons
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