4) ASSUMPTION OF MARY

INTO HEAVEN

When have you experienced the Catholic understanding of Mary – and her place in the Christian life?

When have you experienced being frustrated when non-Catholics don’t understand or even criticize the place of Mary in the Christian life?

The Assumption of Mary into heaven has two great message of hope for all human beings on earth: there is life after death; there is resurrection of our body.

It would be a safe assumption that most of us don’t worry about the resurrection of our body, just as long as there is life after death. In fact, it’s also a safe assumption that most of us will die because our bodies will be sick and tired and finally give out.

We don’t know what life after death is like. Religions which teach that there is life after death, often use images of mansions, green meadows, and enormous wedding banquets – all of which call for us to have a body.

What it will be like is mystery.

Obviously, we don’t have any scientific proof for any of this. For the Christian, life after death is a great act of faith. This faith is based on the words of Jesus before and after his death.

After his resurrection, Jesus showed his disciples – especially Thomas – the wounds in his hands and his side. He embraced Mary of Magdala at the empty tomb. He ate fish at the Lake of Galilee.

Jesus disciples saw and believed. Jesus said words to Thomas that were aimed at us: “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.”

Christians believe in that Jesus rose from the dead.

“My Lord and my God!”

Christians believe in the resurrection of the body – starting with the body of the Risen Lord Jesus.

There is no grave in Jerusalem marked, “Jesus!”

Catholics also belief there is no grave in Jerusalem or Ephesus or anywhere marked, “Mary.”

But for most of the rest of us, there will be a gravestone with our name and dates on it. And there our remains will be buried.

So don’t we have to wait till the end of time for the resurrection of our bodies?

Yes – because if a grave is opened there will be a skeleton or the ashes of a person, if they were cremated and buried there. So obviously our dead bodies or our ashes remain and in time dissolve into earth. Drive down any local road for 25 miles and you’ll go by a graveyard.

No – in the sense of whatever the Christian teaching of “resurrection of the body” means. When we enter into eternity we are out of time – and so we come into eternity – however one enters eternity.

Mary, follows Christ – and they lead the way for the rest of us.

Of course, this is all mystery. We have to die to find out.

In the meanwhile we make the great act of faith every Sunday from the Nicean Creed: We look for the in resurrection of the dead.

The Assumption of Mary into heaven puts flesh onto the statement in the Apostles creed: “I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.”

It’s mystery. It’s faith. It’s trust. It’s hope. It’s the unknown.

Death also moves out of time and into eternity.

We’ve all had wonderful glimpses of being outside of time – in prayer, in marriage, on vacation, with friends, when time is totally forgotten and all is bliss.

We’ve also had negative glimpses of being outside of time – when stuck in traffic, while waiting for doctors, while worrying about children – when we are in interminable pain.

The assumption of Mary into heaven tells the follower of Jesus what is in store for every human being who enters into the glorious mystery of Christ.

Mary is changed in death into the mystery of Risen Christ.

Mary is changed like water into wine at Cana for the eternal wedding banquet of heaven.

Christians believe in the resurrection of the body. This mystery of the Assumption of Mary gives hope for all who fear knocking on the door of death.

When we are invited to a banquet we look our best – we dress our best – we go to the gathering ready to celebrate, to feast, to dance, to sing.

Mary enters into the eternal dance wearing the white garment of immortality. She leads the 144 thousand into the holy city, into the harmony, into the eternal bliss, into the eternal banquet, into the eternal fields, into the eternal light, into the Father’s house, into the Father’s presence, into the Father’s embrace.