Fresh Dew Media

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Death can’t overcome God’s beloved.

Readings: Rev.11:19a, 12:1-6a.10ab; 1 Cor. 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56

The Catechism of the Church teaches us that at the end of the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she was taken up to heaven, both body and soul. Although the Assumption is one of the earliest feasts dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary (the belief in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary began in the early years of the Church), it was officially declared a dogma of the Church (an article of faith) by Pope Pius XII in his Apostolic Constitution ‘Munificentissimus Deus’ on November 1, 1950, where he stated, “The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

The declaration of the belief in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in heaven as an article of faith of the Church does not, in fact, deny the reality that the Virgin Mary died. Rather, it confirms that in accordance with God's divine plan for her, her mortal body experienced no decay; instead, it was taken into heaven together with her soul after her earthly life. Consequently, the Feast of the Assumption commemorates the fulfilment of the grace that God initiated in Mary from the very start of her life, as well as God’s triumph in her life: she was the one chosen by God to be the mother of the Lord and the mother of the church, the one who was filled with the Holy Spirit at both the Annunciation and the Pentecost, and also the one who was full of grace and preserved from the stain of original sin. Now, she lives in heaven in body and soul, sharing in the resurrection of Christ, her son.

In the Assumption of Mary into heaven, God has once again revealed to us His plan for humanity – the plan of taking humanity to Himself after the end of time. Through Mary, humanity has seen that the goal of its journey of faith – the journey towards eternal life in heaven – is both possible and achievable. The Feast of the Assumption illustrates that God has already rewarded one of His fruits – Mary – with the beatific vision; it demonstrates that God has accomplished in Mary that plan He has for all humanity. The goal of our spiritual journey here on earth is to attain beatific vision at the end of our lives, and this beatific reward has been shown to be possible in Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Thus, the Blessed Virgin Mary becomes the symbol of hope for our spiritual endeavours. In her, we find the assurance that all our efforts to live in accordance with God’s plan in order to earn eternal reward will not be in vain; rather, we will be granted the beatific vision after our death if we adhere to God’s design for us, just as Mary did. Hence, the Assumption tells us that all followers of Christ who imitate Mary’s fidelity and obedience to God’s word and plan will undoubtedly be lifted up to heaven. This feast also reassures us that if we cooperate with the grace bestowed upon us by God (for He has endowed each of us with varying degrees of grace) by living in accordance with His will, eternal life will be our reward.

Furthermore, the Feast of the Assumption serves as a reminder that the victory of death over the bodies of those who love God is merely temporal, occurring only at the moment of death. Subsequently, the power of God intervenes to rescue His beloved from the grasp of death and reward them with eternal life. Thus, the Feast of the Assumption is the feast of the triumph of life over death. St Paul alluded to this concept in his first letter to the Corinthians 15:54-57, where he stated that when our mortal body is transformed into immortality, which occurs at resurrection, death is vanquished, and death is consumed in victory. The Psalmist also mentioned this in Psalm 16:10, declaring, “I will not allow my faithful servant to see decay.” So, the lives of those who love God do not end at death; those who love God and live according to his Word cannot be defeated in eternity by death and all its powers made manifest in sickness, hatred, oppression, persecutions, social and economic hardships, fear, and disease (Rom. 8:35). No, rather, the power of God will raise his chosen people from death and all the other challenges it employs to threaten our lives. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven reinforces this assurance.

Peace be with you

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima