Lowliness and Grace: Mary Assumed into Heaven

In today’s Gospel, we read about the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. This significant meeting is not only between two pregnant women but also the meeting of the precursor, St. John the Baptist, and the Savior, Jesus Christ.

In this meeting of two women, one is old and has no children; the other is young and has no husband and it culminated in Mary’s Magnificat- her statement of praise and faith in God who fulfilled His promise and gifted her with the gift of the motherhood of God.



Today we also celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 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.

It was the expected result of her exemplary life of faith, hope, and love. Made full of grace by virtue of her bearing Jesus and living a life of perfect obedience and discipleship, her entry into heaven, body, and soul, provides hope and inspiration to all Christians.



The Gospel for this day reminds us that Mary's Assumption into heaven is best understood with regard for the full spectrum of Catholic beliefs about the person of Christ and the person of Mary.

Only Mary, who was born without the stain of original sin could give birth to Christ, who is fully God and fully human. This is called the Immaculate Conception. Because of Mary's role in God's plan of salvation, she does not suffer from the effects of sin, which are death and decay. Mary was the first to receive the fullness of the redemption that her son has won for all of humanity and therefore, the Church recognizes Mary as the sign of the salvation promised to all. 

Today's Gospel highlights Mary's faith. Mary's faith enabled her to recognize the work of God in her people's history and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to all. Mary is a model and symbol of the Church. 

Her assumption is a tremendous sign, a tremendous guarantee that we also will be raised to glory after our deaths. She is the first fruit of the great harvest of salvation, which is us! What happened to Mary first will eventually happen also to us, and this is the great mystery of the assumption.



This is why this feast is a feast of such great importance for us: We too will be raised from the dead one day, our bodies will rise from the decay of death and we will draw close to God in heaven, sharing in his glory.

Reflecting on how God has acted in our life. Like Mary, hopefully, we will see and recognize His faithfulness to His promises to us. And when we are also faithful and charitable like Mary, we will also have our own “assumption.” And With Mary, we too can sing: “The Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name!”