A Brief Reflection on the Assumption of Mary

We are body and spirit. Our soul organizes our body and vivifies it, whereas our body communicates to some degree our spirit through thoughts, words and actions. It is for this reason God the Son became in-carnate, to commune with and redeem both our body and our soul. Jesus Christ is the invisible God who has become visible in human form, and he has saved us by offering us his sacred Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at the Last Supper, and then on the Altar of the Cross. The revelation that the followers of Jesus Christ will be saved both in body and soul is Christ’s resurrection and the sacred event of the Assump-tion of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, being taken into heaven, body and soul. The Assumption of Mary is an ancient and treasured doctrine that came under scrutiny. Thus, Pope Pius XII clarified and raised this doctrine to the highest level, proclaiming it to be a dogma on November 1, 1950, in his Apostolic Constitution entitled “Munificentissimus Deus” which means, “The most bountiful God” which begins his letter. Catholics must assent to all of Christ’s teachings through his Church, but especially to dogmas. The salient point of this dogma is this: “the Immaculate Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven.” She lives in perfect and full communion in her historical personality with her Risen Son and Savior, Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. We pray and serve Christ and his Church with faith, hope and love, in order to be brought to heaven in the same manner on the last day – the consummation of God’s plan of salvation through, with and in Jesus Christ and his Bride the Catholic Church. The Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assump-tion of Mary is Thursday, Aug. 14, 6:00 PM at Holy Trinity. The Solemnity is on Friday, August 15, 9:00 AM at St. Columbkill, and 8:00 PM at St. Mary. Confession will be of-fered before both Masses on Friday for 45 minutes at both churches – up to 15 minutes before Mass begins.