The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven is a profound mystery. However, this feast is not just about honoring Our Lady; it is about contemplating the boundless generosity of God. God’s generosity is a characteristic that often escapes us. We tend to think of God as all-powerful, which he is, but we sometimes forget that his power is exercised in perfect humility and generosity. God does not hoard his glory or keep his love and joy to himself. Instead, he gives everything he has to anyone willing to accept it.
In creating us, God shares his life with us, inviting us to participate in his divine nature. He offers us the gift of divinity itself, the ability to live as he lives. This is precisely what we see in the Assumption of Mary. The Resurrection from the dead, the recreation and perfection of the body, and the Ascension into heavenly glory are not reserved for Christ alone. Christ is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, and God has carved out a path for us to follow.
God has walked before us and conquered death, promising that we will conquer it with him. As St. Paul reminds us, “For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life.” This is why God drew his own mother out of the shadow of death and into the light of new life. He lifted her body and soul into heaven so that we might all know that the victory of God, the triumph of Christ over death and sorrow, is our victory as well.
Mary’s Assumption is not just a privilege granted to her; it is a foretaste of what awaits us all. Wherever our Savior has gone, we, his body, are sure to follow. We are called to share in his glory, to live with him forever in heaven. This feast reminds us that our ultimate destiny is not death but life, not sorrow but joy, not darkness but light.
As we celebrate this great mystery, let us ask ourselves: Do we truly believe that God desires to share his life with us? Do we trust that he wants to lift us out of the shadow of death and into the light of new life? If so, then let us live as if we really believe it. Let us strive to be generous like God, sharing our own lives and gifts with others. Let us walk in the footsteps of Mary, who said “yes” to God’s plan and was assumed into heaven.
May this feast of the Assumption inspire us to live with hope and confidence, knowing that we are destined for glory, that if we conform our lives to Christ we will one day be lifted up into heavenly glory, body and soul, where we will reign with him forever.