In 1950, Pope Pius XII defined Mary's Assumption into
heaven as a dogma of Roman Catholicism: "the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever
Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body
and soul into heaven." The proclamation of this dogma was made in the
encyclical: Munificentissimus Deus. After entering heaven, Mary has
remained active in the life of the
Church.
Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Solemnity ~ August
15
"Today, she who "belongs to Christ" by a unique, abiding, and
unrepeatable privilege, the most holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, follows where He has gone, "through the greater and more perfect tent not made by human
hands, that is, not of this creation . . . into the Holy Place" (Heb 9:11).
Today the sacred and living ark of the living God, who conceived her Creator
Himself, takes up her abode in the temple of God." ~ St John
Damascene
Assumpta est Maria in caelum, gaudent angeli, laudantes
benedicunt Dominum!
Mary has been taken up into heaven;
the angels rejoice and, praising, bless the
Lord!
Carracci
"Above
all, let us listen to Mary Most Holy, in whom the
mystery of the
Eucharist appears, more than
in anyone else, as a mystery of light. Gazing upon Mary, we come to know
the transforming power present in the
Eucharist.
In her we see the
world renewed in love.
Contemplating her, assumed body and soul
into heaven, we see
opening up before us those 'new heavens' and that 'new earth' which will
appear
at the second
coming of Christ. Here below, the Eucharist represents their pledge, and in a
certain way, their
anticipation:
'Veni, Domine Iesu!'’” (Rev 22:20).
St John Paul II, Ecclesia
de Eucharistia, 62
"And now death came; not indeed clothed in mourning
and grief, as it does to others, but adorned with
light and gladness. But what do
we say? Why speak of death? Let us rather say that divine love came, and cut the
thread of that noble life. And as a light, before going out, gives a last and
brighter flash than ever, so did this beautiful creature, on hearing her Son's
invitation to follow him, wrapped in the flames of love, and in the midst of her
loving sighs, give a last sigh of still more ardent love, and breathing forth
her soul, expired. Thus was that great soul, that beautiful dove of the Lord,
loosened from the bands of this life; thus did she enter into the glory of the
blessed, where she is now seated, and will be seated, Queen of Paradise, for all
eternity." - St
Alphonsus de Liguori
"The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, the oldest Marian Feast, returns every year in the heart of summer. It is
an opportunity to rise with Mary to the heights of the spirit where one breathes
the pure air of supernatural life and contemplates the most authentic beauty,
the beauty of holiness. The atmosphere of today’s celebration is steeped in
paschal joy. “Today”,
the
antiphon of the Magnificat says, “the Virgin Mary was
taken up to Heaven. Rejoice, for she reigns with Christ for ever. Alleluia”.
This
proclamation speaks to us of an event that is utterly unique and extraordinary,
yet destined to fill the heart of every human being with hope and happiness.
Mary is indeed the first fruit of the new
humanity, the creature in whom the mystery of Christ – his Incarnation, death,
Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven – has already fully taken effect,
redeeming her from death and conveying her, body and soul, to the Kingdom of
immortal life.
For this reason, as the Second Vatican Council recalls, the Virgin Mary is a
sign of certain hope and comfort to us (cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 68).
Today's feast impels us to lift our gaze to Heaven; not to a heaven consisting
of abstract ideas or even an imaginary heaven created by art, but the Heaven of
true reality which is God Himself. God is Heaven. He is our destination, the
destination and the eternal dwelling place from which we come and for which we
are striving."
-
Pope Benedict XVI - August 15, 2008
(Homily)
The Virgin of Nazareth who surrendered her heart, her soul, and
her flesh to the Word and the overshadowing of the Holy
Ghost;
the Virgin of
Bethlehem, joyful in her poverty;
the Virgin of Egypt,
trusting in her exile;
the Virgin of
Jerusalem, anguished and amazed by her child;
the Virgin of Cana,
strong in her intercession;
the Virgin of Calvary,
faithful in her compassion;
the Virgin of Holy
Saturday, silent and indomitable in her hope;
the Virgin of the
Cenacle, persevering in prayer;
the Virgin of the
Mount of Olives, ardent in her desire,
has, at last, come to
rest at the feet of her Son. (Dom Mark Kirby,
OSB)
Click
here: Apostolic Constitution defining the Dogma of the Assumption -
Munificentissimus Deus
