Theme: Mary’s Eternal Destination Is Our Eternal Destination
We are celebrating today the triumph of Our Mother Mary over death, as she was taken up to heaven, body and soul. Pope Pius XII defined and celebrated this truth in the dogmatic constitution Munificentissimus Deus on 11 December 1950.
The Assumption of Mary aligns with our scriptural hope of seeing the Lord as He truly is, confirming that hope as genuine and authentic. For instance, Genesis 5:24 states that Enoch “walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.” Similarly, 2 Kings 2:11 describes Elijah being taken up into heaven in a whirlwind.
These examples remind us that God's faithful are called to return to Him and to live in His presence. Our earthly journey is therefore not the end. We are made for something greater: eternal life with God. In the second reading, St Paul reminds us that Christ is the first fruits of those who have died, and that those who belong to Him will likewise be brought to life.
Mary's Assumption points to the eternal reality and the hope of eternal life granted to those whose yeses to God remain ever green and fruitful (Psalm 92). Our Mother Mary’s “yes” to the Lord remained spiritually fruitful, earning her the title Theotokos, the Mother of God. Her yes was not a one-off event. It became a way of life.
Like our Mother Mary, we have also said “yes” to the Lord; thus, we have chosen to serve as symbols of God’s sacred city and dwelling. In other words, the light of God’s city must shine through us in faith, in our prayers for all, in love for others, and in righteous conduct. Mary's greatness derived from her openness to God's will. Therefore, as Mary did, we must learn to listen, trust, and cooperate with God's grace. And like Mary, who faced her challenges and pains, we must confront our moments of uncertainty, rejection, and hardship, believing that God’s victory on the cross will be ours if we remain, like Mary, unwavering.
The Assumption therefore reminds us that faithfulness to God has an eternal destination. Let us therefore live humbly, and treat others with compassion. Let us strive for holiness, and remain in communion with God, who journeys with us through every moment of our lives. Above all, let us learn to cooperate with the grace God continually gives us.
Today, as we look to Mary, assumed body and soul into heaven, let us remember that heaven is also our promised homeland. Mary's eternal destination is our eternal destination.
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