Throughout the world, Catholics celebrate the fifteenth day in the month of August each year as the feast dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary where her body and soul was assumed into heaven. Catholics weekly contemplate this incident weekly in the fourth glorious mystery as they recite the Holy Rosary dedicated to our Mother. Mary was the chosen handmade of the Lord to give birth to His one and only Son in order to fulfill the earthly mission. From the greeting point of Angel Gabriel addressing our Virgin Mary as the woman with ‘full of grace’, it was confirmed that Mary was already filled with God’s grace prior to conceiving Jesus in Her womb. In the fulfillment of Jesus dwelling to be in a Holy Temple all throughout his Life on Earth, God had already chosen Blessed Mother in the mission.
As it is being widely understood and debated over Virgin Mary’s death due to minor indication in the Holy Bible whether Mary experienced a death and thus assumed into heaven. The Catholic Church does not make any declaration of Virgin Mary’s death but only of her Assumption. However, in the later years many saints and theologians have confirmed that Mary experienced death though not as a repercussion of sin yet due to conformation with Her Son’s sacrificial crucifixion. The Assumption of Mary in body and soul context proves that our Virgin Mary remained with full of grace and hence did not witness a corruption in body similar to Jesus. For the definite reason, the Catholic Church pray and worship the beloved Mother for the most Holy qualities and kindness manifested throughout her blessed life. In fact, the Holy Bible enounces of assumptions of only fewer individuals amidst many significant characters in the Old and New testaments; Enoch, Elijah and Blessed Virgin Mary. It symbolizes the importance God has placed in Mother Mary’s life to be chosen as the Mother of God and the everlasting savior of us. Mother Mary is the first Christian disciple presented to us from the Holy Bible to receive blessings of following Christ by being the first dwelling place of the most Holy Eucharist. It would not be erroneous to mention that Mother Mary was Jesus’s top fan in his earthly mission. Despite all the struggles, strives, heartbreaks, discriminations and injustice of this world specifically for her own child Jesus from the point of birth itself, Mary was a devoted servant to the Lord who never doubted on God’s presence. Faith was her greatest weapon in life which she preserved throughout. Humbleness and simplicity were the only jewelry she wore. Despite the recognition she had for being blessed to be God’s mother, it was not a reason for her to look down on others or be proud of. She must have been humbly and silently proud to for the blessings of her life, because she was also a human being. However, she never expressed or exposed such pride. In fact wherever she went she was always an understanding, caring and kind person that ensured no one is ashamed of suffered from any insecurities. Up to this date Catholic Church has not encountered any other character that is so faithful and caring like our Blessed Mother. She is significantly special in the Catholicism for the place God has given her. We may look from outside and think Mother Mary must have been really lucky to be Jesus’ mother. However, it is an episode of heartbreaking stories that Blessed Mother had to bore from the annunciation until her assumption. Simeon; the devout man presented in the gospel of Luke who met Mother Mary, Saint Joseph with Baby Jesus at the Temple during Jesus’ presentation made a prophecy mentioning Jesus’ life story will cause a piercing of a sword of Mary’s soul which both disturbed and strengthened Blessed Virgin Mary to hold firm onto her faithful journey with God.
Assumption of Mary is a feast vibrantly celebrated by the Catholics as it marks the heavenly birthday of our Mother who was carried into heaven with much love and jubilation. The event is considered as an event of love as Blessed Mother spent her life on Earth with a longing desire to be with her Son Jesus always, however ever since He was crucified and ascended into Heaven, Mary’s life of Earth has been a lonely dessert silently perceived. Hence, many Catholics prefers to believe that Jesus Himself came down to earth to take His Mother into heaven. The artistic depiction of Mary’s assumption portray how She willingly let her be carried to her next life in heaven with her son by the side waving goodbye to all the struggles on Earth. Mary’s earthly life has not been a bed of roses ever, she was undergoing many trials and tribulations from day one, and however her faithful journey towards God was ultimately rewarded as she was assumed in glory to heaven amidst the trumpets and sound of praises. The artistic expression of Mother Mary’s assumption reflect a strong message to her devotees to remain firm in our faith that someday God will lift us to heaven concluding all the trials on earth like He did to our Blessed Mother.
An important fact that we must recall and reminisce is that ever since Mother Mary’s Assumption, she has been appearing in many instances to various individual across many occasions showing her outgoing love and care to her children. In fact, we constantly believe that the most profound and direct path to Jesus is through our Beloved Mother Mary, for Catholics affirms that Jesus would never say no to any requests his mother makes. Especially in certain cultural context where the figure role of a Mother in a family is highly venerated, the religious practices are mostly designed around the devotion to our Blessed Mother. This is widely seen across South Asian and European countries where Catholicism is widely practiced and most of Mary’s apparitions happened; Lady of Lourdes, Fatima, Miraculous Medal and Velankanni. The devotion Catholics has for the Blessed Mother is unfathomable, it derives from the inexplicable maternity love. As we celebrate the Assumption of our Blessed Mother, let us pray for the salvation of this world dying and devastated with various setbacks and the pandemic devouring the good times of all of us. It is undoubtedly because of the sinful life mankind lived. However, our God is a forgiving God and our Mother is a strong threshold in that repentance.