We are made for Heaven - reflex on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

WE ARE MADE FOR HEAVEN (and a brief liturgical lesson)

Today’s official liturgical celebration is “The Solemnity ofthe Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. This is significant if weunderstand that there are three categories of celebrations throughout the year:Solemnities, Feasts, and Memorials.

“Solemnities” arethe highest degree of Catholic celebration and so we are obliged to participatein Mass on these days – Sundays, Easter, Christmas, Pentecost, and other HolyDays of Obligation are solemn celebrations of the most important mysteries ofour faith. These are higher than “FeastDays,” which are not days of obligation, but are set apart as days to honorspecial saints and events of salvations history, such as the Apostles, theArchangels, the Visitation, the Presentation, and the Baptism of the Lord. Thefinal level of importance on the liturgical calendar, and the one we encountermost often, are “Memorials,” whichusually honor the saints, though there are Marian Memorials as well, such asOur Lady of Fatima (May 13) and the Queenship of Mary (August 22).

With that little liturgical lesson done, it is worth asking:Why do we rank the Assumption – a dogma that was not “official” until 1950 - asa solemnity, along with Christmas and Easter?

Pius XII, in the Apostolic Constitution MunificentissimusDeus, stated: “By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the BlessedApostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, anddefine it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God,the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, wasassumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

Mary’s Assumption into heaven, body and soul, means that theResurrection is not limited to Jesus alone; where the Head has gone, we arecalled to follow, body and soul. Knowing with the certainty of the Church’sinfallible teaching that Mary’s whole being, body and soul, was taken intoheaven, we have the certainty of knowing that there is a place for ourglorified bodies as well.

So, on this Solemnity, we are called to participate togetherin the Eucharist and look to Mary in a particular way: as one like us (a creature,though a sinless one) who exists to bring Jesus to us and to bring us to Jesus,and who is already fully in heaven. There are two human bodies in heaven andthey are our BROTHER and our MOTHER, whose two Hearts beat as one with love forus! In our participation in the Eucharist we are joined already to those inheaven and to the Body of Christ on earth, and we are reminded  that our destiny is beyond what we see andtouch right here and now, that we are called to an eternity of love andbelonging and peace beyond all understanding.

And that is a solemn celebration indeed.