From pastor’s desk of the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On November 1, 1950 Pope Pius XII solemnly proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This belief in the bodily assumption of the blessed Mother was long held to be true among the faithful and by theologians. The feast had already existed as early as the sixth century. In the Eastern churches this feast is also called the Dormition of Most Holy Mary. The timing of the promulgation of this solemnity is not without significance. It was right after World War II, during which human body was treated like rubbish and millions of human lives were lost. This solemnity is to remind us that there is a great value to each human life and that what we do to our bodies and souls really matters. It is a response to the hostilities of this world that tries to deny the dignity of human person. It is a reminder that each of us is a person that consists of soul and body that are destined for greater things.
While celebrating this feast we acknowledge that Most Holy Mary is already in heaven. She has been taken there with Her body and soul. Why? Because of Her Divine Motherhood. She was found worthy to become the Mother of the Son of God and She became worthy to be with Her Son in heaven. Since God wanted to become in Her a true man—the Word became flesh—now God wanted Her to be assumed to heaven so that Her body may become transformed into the spiritual realm. But this is not the end, for in the Assumption of Mary we recognize our own destiny. We too are destined to be in heaven. But the way there is through the unity with Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, many of our protestant brothers and sisters accuse us, Catholics, that we “worship” the Blessed Virgin Mary as a kind of a goddess while putting too much emphasis on her role in the life of the Church. Despite what they say, we know that there is One God in the Most Holy Trinity. But we also know that Mary played a role of the utmost importance in the history of Salvation and that She is not only the mother of humanity of Jesus but that, as the council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) put it, Mary is THEOTOKOS, the bearer of God. Hence, whenever we recite the prayer of Hail Mary we also say Mary, Mother of God. In this way we simply recognize the Blessed Virgin’s greatness, Her beauty, and Her singular position in the order of Salvation.
So the Blessed Virgin Mary never stands in the way of to Jesus. She is definitely not a hindrance, quite the opposite. It can be historically proven that the closer we get to the Blessed Mother the closer we get to Her Blessed Son Jesus Christ. Mary never drives people away from Jesus. On the Contrary, in the humility of Her Immaculate Heart She always leads us back to Him who is Our Lord and Savior. So we can say that wherever Mary is there is also the true Devotion to Jesus Christ. While venerating the Blessed Virgin, the faithful usually increased their devotion and reverence to the Eucharist and the Church by and large.
A great theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar commented how Mary should inspire each one of us to follow Her example:
“Mary, as the handmaid of the Lord, is in one sense placed on a level with everyone else in the Church. Everyone like Her is handmaiden or servant of God [when we generously and joyfully accept the will of God] – everyone can be <<a mother>> of Jesus who lets the divine Word become flesh in his own body.”
We are all invited to participate in God’s grace. The example and intercession of the Blessed Virgin should encourage us to trust God more, for the more we open our hearts to God, the more Divine love we receive. As Most Holy Mary gave herself totally and unconditionally to God, so we must do it too.
May the example of the Blessed Mother inspire many young men and women to follow God wholeheartedly. May Her maternal intercession be effective in our lives so that we too may become humble servants of Her Son and our Lord Jesus Christ.
May Christ’s peace be with you. Have a wonderful week!
Fr. Janusz Mocarski, pastor