Solemnity of the Assumption

CatholicExchange.com ^ | 08-15-06 | Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

[Salvation]

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Solemnity of the Assumption

08/15/06

		I once asked a college theology class if anyone could explain the doctrine of the Assumption. A student replied, “Yeah, that’s the teaching whereby the Catholic Church ‘assumes’ that Mary is in heaven.”
In This Article... Greatest of Marian Feasts Something Unique about Mary No Decay, No Delay

Greatest of Marian Feasts

There’s a bit more to it than that. The Church does not just “assume” that any canonized saint in is in heaven. Rather, it authoritatively declares that a person is in glory and should therefore be honored in liturgy and imitated in life. Our church calendar is filled with saints’ days.

But why a particular day for each saint? The first evidence for this goes back to 155 AD, to a bishop named Polycarp. The account of his martyrdom notes that after his execution, the faithful collected his bones, more precious than gold, and put them in a place of honor where every year they gathered to celebrate the anniversary of his death as a sort of “birthday” into eternal life. Celebrating Mass in the catacombs over the relics of the martyrs led to the practice of putting relics in the main altar of every church. Eventually saints who did not die a martyr’s death were also commemorated on their heavenly “birthday” and their relics were accorded great honor.

From very early times, August 15 has been observed as the “birthday” of our Blessed Lady. On this greatest of all Marian feasts we celebrate the greatest moment of her life — being permanently reunited with her son and sharing His glory.

Something Unique about Mary

All the saints experience the “beatific vision” upon their entry into heaven, and we celebrate this on every saint’s day. But there is something unique about Mary’s day. The Catholic Church teaches authoritatively that it is not just Mary’s soul that was admitted to God’s glory, but that at the end of her earthly life, Mary’s body as well as her soul was assumed into heaven by the loving power of God.

There is no eyewitness account of this actual event recorded in the Bible. Come to think of it, though, no one witnessed the actual resurrection of Jesus, either. The evidence was an empty tomb and eyewitness reports that the Risen Lord had appeared to them.

Interesting parallel here. There is a tomb at the foot of the Mount of Olives where ancient tradition says that Mary's body was placed. But there is nothing inside. There are no relics, as with other saints. And credible apparitions of Mary, though not recorded in the New Testament, have been recorded from the 3rd century till today.

Mary is not equal to Christ, of course. Jesus, though possessing a complete human nature, is the Eternal Word made flesh. Mary is only a creature.

But she is a unique creature, the highest of all creatures. This is not just because she was born without the handicap of original sin. Eve and Adam were born free of sin as well, but it did not stop them from sinning as soon as they had the chance. Mary instead chose, with the help of God’s grace, to preserve her God-given purity throughout the whole of her life.

No Decay, No Delay

The bodily corruption of death was not God’s original plan. It came into the world through sin, as St. Paul says “the sting of death is sin” (I Cor 15:56). So it is fitting that she who knew no sin should know no decay and no delay in enjoying the full fruits of her son’s work. It is fitting that she who stood by Christ under the Cross should stand by Him bodily at the right hand of the Father. “The Queen stands at your right hand, in gold of Ophir” (Ps 45). Enoch and Elijah, who the Old Testament says were assumed into heaven, were surely great in God’s eyes. But they do not begin to compare with the immaculate mother of His Son.

We too, one day, insofar as we accept God’s grace, will stand at His right hand. But Paul says that “all will come to life again, but each one in proper order” (I Cor 15:23). The Redeemer, of course, blazes the resurrection trail. But who is to be first among His disciples? The one who is last is first: the Lord’s humble handmaid who did no more than say yes, and kept saying yes, and whose soul magnified not herself, but the Lord.


Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He now directs www.crossroadsinitiative.com, which offers Catholic resources for RCIA, adult faith formation, and teens, with a special emphasis on the Year of the Eucharist, the Theology of the Body, the early Church Fathers, and the sacrament of confirmation.

[pjr12345]

Maybe that's because you're seeking an argument rather than truth?

[pissant]

Not quite. But how does that explain the anti-papists always getting their panties in a wad over theolgical discussions

[pjr12345]

Not sure, but could it have something to do with the funny hat crowd supporting their non-Scriptural doctrines with ever-shifting, relativistic, self-serving philosophies of men?

[pissant]

Or it could be that some idiot with at best a working knowlwdge of english, but no greek, hebrew, latin, or aramaic and having never read the giants of the early church, but who has studied his bible diligently after his burger king shift gets mad when he can't convince a Catholic that the 2000 year old institution is heretic.

[pjr12345]

Really old error is still error.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

And I'd take a guy who works at Burger King who studies his Bible "diligently" over many of those supposed church fathers.

[trisham]

But when God disappears, men and women do not become greater; indeed, they lose the divine dignity, their faces lose God's splendour. In the end, they turn out to be merely products of a blind evolution and, as such, can be used and abused. This is precisely what the experience of our epoch has confirmed for us.

*************

Our beloved Pope Benedict is both wise and eloquent.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I

Like a long, drawn-out breath,
a pausing
was that last moment
of your old life.
You,
who had seen and felt and been so much
to those around you,
a clear lamp
for the light of your beloved son.

And so it came to this moment then,
long years after your darkest day,
and brightest morning,
long days since you last kissed him goodbye,
your perfect son.

Did you not
let that last breath pass
like a goodbye kiss to those gathered around you,
dear faces all.

A moment only of darkness,
and then,
once again,
that beloved voice whispered in your ear.

"Mother, it's time. Let's go home."

II

Sancta Maria,
Sancta Virgo virginum,
Ora pro nobis.

O Blessed Mother
on this day when we celebrate
your joyful Assumption,
your joyful entry into Heaven,
remember this day
all those left behind
without joy,
thinking there is no hope,
who see only the darkness.

Sancta Maria,
Mater boni Consilii,
Consolatrix afflictorum,
Ora pro nobis.

O Blessed Mother,
be this day
with those attacked for no reason
but that they belong to the wrong group,
the unborn,
the poor,
the persecuted for their color,
their background,
their stance for right,
those caught in the crossfire
of other people's hate,
those who had no idea they were combattants
in another group's war.

Sancta Maria,
Mater Dei,
Speculum iustitiae,
Refugium peccatorum,
Ora pro nobis.

O Blessed Mother
You who comfort us in our sorrows,
Remind us of the truth of your son,
Aid us in our repentence,
Tell us the ways of Jesus' truth,
O keep us always under your mantle
safe in the loving hands
of such a mother!

Sancta Maria
Regina Angelorum,
Regina Martyrum,
Regina pacis,
Regina in caelum assumpta,
Ora pro nobis.

Amen.

III

Oh Blessed Mother,
when I think of your falling asleep
being reunited forever with your Son
assumed into Heaven
where you could become mother of us all,
I long to say,
Thank you, Mother,
for caring for us all,
for covering us with your mantle,
for looking after us when we stray,
for leading us home to your son.

Thank you Mother,
for all the sorrows, toil and care
you were willing to give
during your earthly life,
and thank you for trying so hard to reach
a hardheaded mankind
that too often chooses to go its own way.

Thank you Mother,
for helping to teach us how to be salt, light, and
leaven in this dark and sad world,
may we always be open to further your intentions,
and those of the sacred heart of your divine Son.

Amen

[Nihil Obstat]

that is beautiful - thank you.

[Lil Flower]

And I'd take a guy who works at Burger King who studies his Bible "diligently" over many of those supposed church fathers.

Yes you've proven that many times over ;)

[Lil Flower]

By the way, it always amuses me that so many have a disdain for "learned men" when it comes to matters of theology, and yet, would you chose a surgeon who had spent many years learning about his craft, or would you chose a surgeon who had picked up a medical book and read through it after his shift at Burger King?

[Salvation]

Yes, very wise. Two popes posted for a reason!!

[Salvation]

Thanks, KAC, hopefully this thread can stay Catholic in nature.

[Salvation]

Thanks for coming on board -- this is basically a Catholic thread, although I didn't mark it as such. (Don't like to be exclusionary.)

But hopefully, people will realize that when they put down the mother of Jesus Christ, true Man and true God, that they are putting down her Son as well as the god the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

[pjr12345]

But hopefully, people will realize that when they put down the mother of Jesus Christ, true Man and true God, that they are putting down her Son as well as the god the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

I'm pretty sure that most non-catholics respect and admire Mary. We just don't worship her.

[Lil Flower]

I'm pretty sure that most non-catholics respect and admire Mary. We just don't worship her.

Neither do Catholics, but don't let the truth stop you from "bearing false witness". For that matter, don't let the commandment against "bearing false witness" stop you either.

What was that again about throwing stones? Oh I remember. Your just the onlooking coat holder. Continue on.

[Lil Flower]

Hate to post and run, but my statue of Mary is calling me, so I'm off to worship. 2 for the price of one, I get to worship a statue and the Blessed Virgin!


;)

[Campion]

I'm pretty sure that most non-catholics respect and admire Mary.

Sure, that's why they're always piping up that Mary was "nothing special" and "just a vessel used by God".

Part of the rejection of orthodox Mariology is a strident egalitarianism among Protestants, who think that everyone who is "saved" is equal in holiness to everyone else. Any "respect" or "admiration" given to Mary runs afoul of that idea. Of course, the best portrait of heaven we have in Scripture, Revelation, knows nothing of any egalitarianism.

And, if by "worship" you mean the worship of latria properly directed to God, then Catholics don't worship Mary, either. (The original meaning of "worship" is simply "to honor," which is why the traditional marriage vows involve the groom promising, "With my body, I thee worship" to his bride.)

[pjr12345]

Neither do Catholics

When I witness all the adoration of Mary taking place by RCCers, and then hear you deny that you're actually worshipping her, I have flashbacks of Bill Clinton shaking his finger at the country and saying, "I never had... with that woman!"

"I guess it all depends upon what the definition of is is!"

[Campion]

When I witness all the adoration of Mary taking place by RCCers, and then hear you deny that you're actually worshipping her

If you think that what we do for Mary is adoration, then I don't think you know what real adoration looks like. If you give God no more honor than we give Mary, you aren't giving God the honor he deserves, but a poor substitute for it.