The Assumption of Mary

By Justin Lam

The Assumption of Mary, which Catholics believe to be true, is the truth that when Mary, the Mother of God’s earthly life ended, she was assumed body and soul into heaven to be together with her Son, Jesus Christ, and all the saints and angels. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the church and was declared a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950. A dogma is a principle laid down by Church authority as indisputable truth. 

In CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) 966, it says, “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be more conformed to Her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” 

Mary’s earthly life was finished but her eternal life had only just begun at the Assumption. The Church never stated whether Mary died before her assumption or that she was assumed before her death. This then gives us the freedom to interpret which one would have been more appropriate. Many theologians have agreed that Mary did experience death before her assumption so as to be in conformity with her Son, Jesus Christ, who also underwent death for our sake and gave it new meaning, a means of salvation for us.

We can also know that Mary’s body and soul is in heaven because we also see from CCC 400 that because we are human beings with original sin from the fall of mankind in Genesis (the fall of Adam and Eve), there is the corruption of the body. However, Mary was Immaculately Conceived and was full of grace. This means that she did not suffer from the stains of original sin due to the grace of God and thus we can be sure that Mary’s body and soul is assumed in heaven. 

This is also the pre-figurement of our eternal life in heaven too. That our earthly life is only a journey, a temporary place that we will be before resting in the eternal home of heaven. We can say that Mary was the first disciple of Christ. We can see this in her Annunciation, where she responded with doing the will of God and Immaculate Conceived Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit. We can also see this in her visitation where she hastily visited her cousin Elizabeth when God prompted her to do so. She even followed her Son unto death on a cross. From these examples, we can see that just like Mary, who was the first and most loving disciple of Christ, being assumed into heaven, both body and spirit, through her unique participation in Christ, we can also have our own share in that same grace if we persevere in following Christ. 

Finally, we can also see this dogma as an event of love. We see that Mary truly wanted to be with her Son at every moment and her wish was granted during her Assumption. We now can see that Mary’s life was one that was totally conformed to God’s will. Her docility and obedience to doing the will of God granted her eternal life and happiness in heaven. She is the perfect example for us to follow because she is also human like us. If she, and all the other saints are able to attain eternal happiness, so we can also strive to sainthood.

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