Blessed Are You Among Women

Homily For The Solemnity of Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary. August 15, 2024

Readings For Mass During the Day

“Now, behold, Mary leaves the earth and calling to mind the many graces she had there received from her Lord, she looks on it affectionately. And now Jesus offers her His Hand and the Blessed Mother rises in the air, passes beyond the clouds, and arrives at the gates of heaven.”–St Alphonsus Liguori.

My Dearest Friends in Christ,

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. This celebration in honor of the Virgin Mary was defined as a dogma of faith by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950. Why is it important for Catholics to remember and deepen their knowledge about this dogma? The importance of the Assumption for us today lies in the relationship that exists between the Resurrection of Christ and our resurrection. The fact that Mary, a woman of our human race, a human being like us, is in body and soul glorified in heaven is an anticipation of our resurrection. She has reached heaven because she faithfully obeyed the Word of God and lived by it. Today we ask ourselves what is it about Mary that made her so highly honored by her Son at the end of her earthly life?

From the first moment of her conception, Mary was free of all sin, including Original Sin, by the special favor of Almighty God and she never committed any actual sin. The Archangel Gabriel recognized her as “…full of grace,” “…blessed among women,” and “…one with the Lord.” Mary was chosen to be the Mother of our Savior. By the power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived our Lord, Jesus Christ, and through her, True God became also true man: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” During her lifetime, although the Gospel citations are limited, Mary always presented our Lord to others: to Elizabeth and her son, John the Baptist, who leaped for joy in the womb at the presence of the Lord still in His own mother’s womb; to the simple shepherds as well as the wise Magi; and to the people at Cana when our Lord acquiesced to His mother’s wish and performed the first miracle. Moreover, Mary stood at the foot of the cross with her Son, supporting Him and sharing in His suffering through her love as only a mother could do. Finally, she was with the Apostles at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended and the Church was born. Therefore, each of us can step back and see Mary as the faithful servant of God who shared intimately in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord.

The Patristic Fathers defended the Assumption on two counts: Since Mary was sinless and a perpetual virgin, she could not suffer bodily deterioration, the result of original sin, after her death. Also, if Mary bore Christ and played an intimate role as His mother in the redemption of man, then she must likewise share body and soul in His Resurrection and Glorification. Bishop Theoteknos of Livias (c.550-650) delivered one of the most comprehensive early sermons concerning the Assumption: “Why confrontation with life’s many uncertainties: the flight into Egypt, the years of living in exile, the journey to Jerusalem, the agony at the foot of the cross? Mary knew the rough and rumble of motherhood and more. By looking at Mary’s Assumption into Heaven we understand better that even though our daily life may be marked by trials and difficulties, it flows like a river to the Divine ocean, to the fullness of joy and peace. We understand that our death is not the end but rather the entrance into a life that knows no death. Our setting on the horizon of this world is our rising at the dawn of the new world, the dawn of the eternal day.”

Mary’s faith and humility enabled her to recognize the work of God in other people’s history, and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to all. Mary is a model and symbol of the Church. May we be like Mary, cooperative in God’s plan of salvation.

The first reading of today made mention of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was where the two tablets of God’s Law, the manna and the staff of Aaron were kept, as the sign of the Holy Presence of God among His people. It was richly built and endowed in the most precious materials of the world, to signify the greatness of God’s Presence among His people. In the New Testament, Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant. St. Augustine says, “Before conceiving the Lord in her body she had already conceived him in her soul.” She had made room for the Lord in her soul and thus really became the true Temple where God made Himself incarnate, where He became present on this earth.

The woman in the Book of Revelations, crowned with stars and adorned with the sun and moon is alluded to as Mary, whose depiction often shows her crowned gloriously with a crown of stars, the moon, and the sun. The woman is also often associated with the Church, laboring in pain for the One Who was to rule the nations with power and authority. The Baby was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. Today, the dragon exists in new and different ways. It exists in the form of materialistic ideologies that tell us it is absurd to think of God and that it is absurd to observe God’s commandments.

The Assumption reminds us that Mary’s life, like that of every Christian, is a journey of following Jesus. It is a journey that has a very precise destination, a future already marked out. It is the definitive victory over sin and death and full communion with God.

Today’s celebration fills us with hope because it anticipates the final victory of God over evil, violence, and death. In the power of the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ we partake of God’s Love, which is stronger than death. As we gather to honor the Assumption of Mary today, we give thanks for her maternal care and protection and pray that God will fill us with the grace to imitate her humility and purity of life. Amen