Homily for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary, whose body was preserved from all stain of sin, pray for us!

Today, as we well know, Catholics are happily obliged to attend Mass and to contemplate particularly the mystery of the Assumption of Mary body and soul into heaven. This mystery is the fourth glorious mystery of the holy rosary, and so is recommended for our contemplation in our daily prayer. Today in a special way, however, we gather to celebrate that of all people born of a man and woman, none is greater than Mary, the mother of God. Today we celebrate the certain knowledge given us by faith that not only does Mary see God face to face with the eyes of her soul, but so too her body already enjoys the fruits of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Mary's body, like that of her Son, is no longer here. It has been raised, according to the promises made by Jesus.

Our reading from Revelation stands outside of time as we normally think of it. When we read the book of Revelation, we usually think of it as a preview of what heaven will be like, and indeed it is. Yet the book is more than the future tense. Its pages stand outside of time. Today's passage, if read allegorically, shows Mary about to give birth to a son who is destined to have dominion over all. Yet there is a dragon, a personification of Satan, ready to devour the child. In the story we know from the Gospels, we see that Satan indeed has a chance to touch the life of Jesus and the life of Mary, through the hands of those who crucified Jesus and subsequently pierced the heart of Mary. From the triumphant perspective of heaven, however, we see that neither Mary nor Jesus were ever delivered into the hands of the dragon. Both of them were kept safe from sin, and so were not subject to suffering and death, but underwent both willingly. Thus, even at the moment of their deaths, Satan did not devour the lives of Jesus or of Mary. It is this assumption of Mary body and soul into heaven at the moment of her death, if indeed she can be said to have died at all, that we celebrate, for she is the first person to enjoy fully the fruits of her own Son's resurrection. Indeed, in the mystery of the Immaculate Conception we celebrate that this grace of the resurrection stands outside of time, for Mary enjoyed it for the very first moment of her life, even before she gave birth to her Son.

As we celebrate the holy year of St. Paul, we should listen attentively to what he has to say as well about the fruits of the resurrection. St. Paul says that the fruits will be distributed in the proper order, first to those who belong to Christ, and then to those who do not fully belong to him at the final judgment. St. Paul suggests, and the tradition of the Church agrees, that some people, Mary foremost among them, of course, receive this grace of the resurrection in a most efficacious way, and by belonging to Christ singleheartedly they become holy. Many of them are declared saints by the Church, who proclaims triumphantly that their souls are in heaven with God. Mary, the first and best saint, and the one who most fully 'belongs to Christ' as St. Paul describes, is thus first in line to receive the grace of Jesus resurrection. Just as Jesus in his resurrection becomes the new Adam, so too does Mary, who enjoys not only the redemption of her soul but also her body in advance of the final judgment, become the new Eve.

How is this great mystery of the Assumption possible? Lest we be tempted to think of Mary as unlike us, as distant from us and unapproachable, her Magnificat, today's glorious Gospel, shows us quite the opposite. It is because of Mary's unique lowliness that God chose her to be the mother of Jesus, and it is this same humility that makes her eminently approachable to all of us who ask Her to be our mother as we strive to become what we receive in the Eucharist, the body of Christ. Mary's use of her freedom to allow herself to be chosen for something greater than she could ever imagine, shows us that before we pick out the 'best life' for ourselves, we should receive with humility and joy the life that God has picked out for us, for He will always call us to something greater than our own expectations. In this, Mary is the mother of all our vocations, of all those seeking to be humble enough to do the will of God, no matter what that will is! Mary saves us from a religion born of our own expectations and plans, and teaches us that being receptive to God's grace and the love is the one necessary thing. Because of her humility in allowing herself to be chosen, the world has been redeemed by the blood of her Son. Indeed, because of her, we stand ready to have our hearts redeemed by His love at this table now set before us. It is fitting and right for us to celebrate the Assumption of our Blessed Mother, and to seek her intercession today as we strive to live a life like unto hers!