Homily – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This week’s solemnity of the Assumption was declared as dogma on 1 November 1950 by Pope Pius XII, who exercised papal infallibility by speaking ex cathedra in his apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus.  After centuries of long-standing belief in Mary’s Assumption, Pope Pius XII finally declared, “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” (Munificentissimus Deus, n.44).

Interestingly, the Assumption is also closely bound with another Marian teaching, the Immaculate Conception, which was also declared a dogma in the same way through the pope speaking ex cathedra.  St John Damascene identified in the early church a valid connection between these two beliefs suggesting it is fitting that Mary who kept “her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death.”  Christians believe at death there is a temporary separation between the body and soul.  However, following Jesus’ ascension, Mary who also united to Christ with an indissoluble bond, received after her earthly life, the first fruits of Jesus’ death and resurrection with her body and soul immediately assumed into heaven.

We can see from the relationship between Christ’s Ascension and Mary’s Assumption, each human being is composed of a body and soul with glorified end found in the glories of heaven.  Mary’s earthly pilgrimage from conception to end demonstrates that with God’s initiative and with cooperation with His grace, we can attain the fullness of our Christian vocation.  She is the model of all Christians and her example of fidelity to Christ shows that eternal destiny awaits us.  We were not born to die but to live and one day we will receive the promises of the resurrection, eternal life and that glorified state of our being, body and soul.

by Fr Ian Vergel