HOMILY FOR SOLEMNITY OF ASSUMPTION — YEAR B
HOMILY FOR SOLEMNITY OF ASSUMPTION — YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: ASSUMPTION—MARY’S REWARD AND OUR HOPE
BY: Fr Peter Gabriel Okon
Today, we celebrate Mary’s triumph over death – The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St John Damascene has this to say on the assumption; “It was fitting that she who in giving birth had preserved her virginity unspotted should keep her body incorrupt even after death. It was fitting that she who had borne the creator as a child in her bossom should have a dwelling- place with God. It was fitting that the Mother of God should enjoy the privileges of the Son and should be honoured by all creation as the Mother and handmaid of the God”.
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The word “Assumption” is traceable to the Latin root assumere meaning ‘to take up’. Assumption here is the taking up of Mary, body and soul into heaven. This is different from ascension which is from the Latin verb ascendere , ‘ to rise’ or climb on ones effort or power. Ascension is therefore for Jesus Christ while assumption is for Mary. Jesus Christ ascended into heaven unaided, but Mary is taken up into heaven by her Son, Jesus Christ.
“The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory”. In these words, the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII formally proclaimed the dogma of Assumption on 1st November, 1950. From the creation story in Genesis, we understand that God created man and woman, destined for happiness in paradise. However Adam and Eve disobeyed God and God said ‘you are dust and unto dust you shall return’. The returning to dust, the decay of the flesh is therefore punishment due to sin.
In the Annunciation, Luke 1:26-28, the angel Gabriel said to Mary, “hail, full of grace”. To be full of grace means that Mary enjoys a special privilege from God. So for Mary, she is full of grace, there is no room for disgrace, no room for decay. Decay came as a result of sin, Mary was preserved from a share in the original sin from conception, so cannot suffer decay. This creates an unbreakable link between the Marian dogmas of Immaculate conception, Mother of God and of course Perpetual Virginity . Mary enjoys this favour as a result of her obedience to God and on the merit of Jesus Christ.
In today’s second reading, Paul tells us that, just as all died in Adam, all will be brought back to life in Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:22). Jesus Christ is the new Adam. Here, let’s examine some parallels between the old and new Adam. i) In the old order, the woman Eve came from the body of the man Adam, in the new order, the new Adam, Jesus Christ came from the body of the new Eve, Mary. ii) In the old, Adam and Eve as a consequence of sin were driven away from paradise. In the new order, the new Adam, Jesus Christ ascends into heaven and takes up Mary the new Eve to heaven as a reward for her obedience.
And so in Ascension, Jesus went up to heaven, from there takes up the new Eve Mary, so as to restore what was lost in the old. Mary was full of grace, but despite that, God did not impose His will upon her, but asked her, “I need a body for my son, will you?” And she responded in the affirmative and today she is rewarded with her Body and Soul taken up to heaven. Just as decay is punishment due to sin, Mary’s assumption is the reward for her obedience to God.
Dearly beloved, just as in the case of Mary, God will not impose Himself on us, but we will need to align our will with His will for us, we will need to co-operate with the grace of God in order to join Mary and Jesus Christ in paradise where we are all destined to be.
In the Gospel reading today, Mary leaves us with an example of how we can live our Christian life, she stands out bright as an example of Christian virtue. Pope Francis, referring to Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, describes it as “a liturgy full of joy that arrives like a breathe of fresh air, to fill our lives”. The joy that the visitation evoked is evidenced in Elizabeth’s prophetic exclamation, the leaping of John the Baptist from the mother’s womb, climaxing in Mary’s hymn of Praise, the magnificat: My soul glorifies the Lord…
Gustavo Gutierrez, a biblical scholar sees in the magnificat “a new spirituality of liberation, that is, a concrete manner in which to live the Gospel inspired by the Holy Spirit and in solidarity with all people before the Lord. Mary today gives us a pattern for praise for God, an example of humility, solidarity, sensitivity to the needs of others and sacrificial love. Despite being highly favoured, Mary understood that service to one another is the supreme gift to humanity. Whoever we may be, whatever position we may occupy, service to humanity must be our goal.
As we celebrate Mary’s Assumption today, her final victory over the serpent- the devil, may we pray continuously for her intercession, that our world may be freed from the grip of greed and selfishness, that we may honestly and sincerely seek to be of service to others so as to make the world a better place for all, that her triumph over death, may inspire us to triumph over our weak and sinful nature to share in the joys of heaven.
May by Mary’s intercession, we her children conquer sin at the end and be granted admittance into heaven through Christ our Lord Amen.
Happy Solemnity of the Assumption.
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