ON NOV. 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII solemnly defined the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in his apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus (which means the most bountiful God). Seventy-five years later, the Church continues to rejoice in this mystery, which proclaims that, “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” (Munificentissimus Deus, 44).
In His great plan of redemption, God preserved Mary from sin from the moment of her conception so she could freely respond to His proposal of love to be the Mother of Jesus. Therefore, Mary, being free from original sin and its consequences, was not subjected to the decay of her body, nor did she have to wait for the reunion of her body and soul at the end of time. While the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is commemorated on Aug. 15, it is fitting that we reflect on this mystery as we celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary points us to reflect on the sacredness of the human body and our eternal destiny of being united to God in both body and soul. Every Sunday at Mass, we proclaim the Creed together, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” As we honor the saints in heaven and pray for the souls of family and friends, Mary’s Assumption reveals God’s desire for each of us to be with Him forever, body and soul, in heaven.
Seventy-five years ago, the world was recovering from two world wars, the atrocities of the Holocaust and the ongoing threat of nuclear destruction. Countless offenses against the human person cried out before God and weighed heavily upon the consciences of the guilty and the innocent. While the Church had long believed and celebrated the mystery of Mary’s Assumption, Pope Pius XII discerned that the postwar world was in desperate need of consolation and hope. Mary’s Assumption shows us that the resurrection is not just a future event but a present hope, and it strengthens our faith that, seeing what is already fulfilled in her, it is promised to all who live in Christ (cf. CCC #966).
In this present age, we also face violence against human life, fear about the future, the devaluing of human dignity, the distortion of our identity as children of God, and despair and confusion about our origin and our final destiny. And yet, in every age, God raises up the timeless witness of saints whose lives remind us that holiness is not unattainable, but something we are all called to live in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. Mary is the first and greatest of all the saints, showing us what it means to offer a total response of love to God every moment of her life.
The celebration of All Saints’ Day leads us to ask Our Lady to guide us in embracing the great mission of holiness. Her Assumption, body and soul, assures us that sanctity is not something abstract, but as concrete as our bodies, destined for eternal glory. All Souls’ Day renews our hope in heaven and calls us to pray for those still being purified, that they may soon share the joy Mary already knows in the holy presence of God. Mary’s Assumption, body and soul into heaven, is not an unrelatable fact, but a reason to hope and a sign of our future glory. Let us thank God for the gift of Mary, Our Mother, who unites the communion of saints with her prayers and love.