Assumption of Mary

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-10  Psalm: 45  1 Co 15:20-27 Luke 1:39-56 

1. Reflecting on the feast of the Assumption, there is the danger on one hand of wanting to be so theologically accurate. Thus we make this feast academically dry. On the other hand, we can get so mushy that the feast becomes all emotional with no substance, no depth.

2. The feast of the Assumption took shape in the Easter Churches after the Council of Ephesus in 431. Mary was given the title: “theotokos” – Mother of God. As the Virgin Mother, she was assumed into heaven. The Western Church followed this tradition about two centuries later in 650. Tradition spoke of the dormition or sleeping of Mary – a euphemism for death. The doctrine of the Assumption was proclaimed in the life time of many of us in 1950.  The Catholic Church teaches that Mary, "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory."  Pope Pius XII defined this doctrine on November 1, 1950.

3. Our readings give us the blend of the theological basis and the emotional overtones in balanced proportion. Our first reading from the Book of Revelation reflects celebration, tones of merriment similar to the dancing of David when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem. Now the new Ark of the Covenant is brought into Heaven, the New Jerusalem.

She is clothed with the Brilliance of the Su, the subdued peace of the moon at her feet and as befitting a queen, a crown of 12 stars. Twelve is the sign of perfection completing the promise of God

12 tribes of Israel

12 Apostles of the Church

Mary merits this celebration because she “walked the walk:. In saying Yes to God. The Cross was never far from her. Revelation describes it as

• Crying out in birth pangs
• Facing the dragon that was abut to devour her son
• She fled in the wilderness.

But since salvation came through her Son who would rule the nations, it was fitting that his mother should share in his glory. So we celebrate!

4. The second reading from Corinthians enfleshes the victory Christ won because of his obedience to the father. The “Exultet” at the Easter Vigil tells us of the “happy fault of Adam that won for us so great a redeemer .” This redeemer – the second Adam was raised after his passion, suffering and death.   From the second century onwards the holy fathers have been talking of the Virgin Mary as the new Eve for the new Adam: not equal to him, of course, but closely joined with him in the battle against the enemy, which ended in the triumph over sin and death that had been promised even in Paradise.

Paul tells us that in the Resurrection Christ is the first fruit and then those who belong to him. It goes without saying that Mary would be the first among these since she was so united with her son not only physically – “blessed is the womb that bore you..” Luke 11:27. But more especially because “she listened to the Word of God and kept it”  Luke 11:28.

5. The Gospel is the Assumption in sheer poetry. It begins quietly with the meeting of two pregnant women. It is the beginning of life, a beginning of hope. Yet there is a great deal of uncertainty. The friends and relatives of Elizabeth wonder: “What will become of this child” Luke 1:66. God does not unfold to these two women how the lives of their sons would unfold. They have no premonition that:

• John will spend most of his life in the desert. His wood will be locus and honey. He will challenge Civil and Religious leaders. Eventually he will b imprisoned and be beheaded.
• Jesus would be born in the manger. He would flee into Egypt. The Scribes and Pharisees would persecute Jesus. He would die as a common criminal on the cross.

The horrible details are not known at this stage. But both women will continue to walk in trust. Mary would say in that glorious song: the Magnificat: “The almighty has done great things of me. The Lord looked with pity on the lowly handmaid because she said Yes! “Be it done to me according to your word.”

Mary signed on the dotted line, and she did not cry out “unfair” when she found out what the “small print” turned out to be. There was the scourging, the crowning, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion.

 What mother here can see her child hurt, harmed and even put to death and just stand still and wait? She did that at the foot of the cross.

Carey Landry in his hymn, “Gentle Woman” says:

Blessed are you among women
Blessed in turn all women too
Blessed they with peaceful spirits
Blessed they with gentle hearts.

In practical terms and in our time, the Feast of the assumption of Mary is a call to involve women in all levels of Church governing and policy making. We have a long way to travel on that road, haven’t we? God entrusted his Son to a woman. Jesus entrusted his Church to a woman. Need I say more?