Let's talk about the Feast of the Assumption, shall we?

Catholics believe that Mary did not suffer the separation of her body and soul in death but rather was assumed, body and soul, into heaven.

It's a feast where we especially celebrate the integrity of the human person-- God's original design for our bodies and souls to never be separated in death.

In a way, the dogma of the Assumption is the first evangelical proclamation of the "Theology of the Body," showing all peoples that the Resurrection of the body is not something just reserved for the Son of God. No! God's desire is for all of us to join Him, body and soul, in the New Jerusalem.

And so we wait. And we have to contemplate this great mystery of the already-but-not-yet.

Paul urges us to hope, saying: "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Cor 15:27)

What might surprise some Catholics, though, is how relatively LATE in Church history this dogma was pronounced!

It was not until the Feast of All Saints in 1950 that Pope Pius XII officially proclaimed this teaching in a document entitled: "Munificentissimus Deus" (the most bountiful God).

Here is paragraph 14:

Yet, this dogma was not by any means novel. That's not really how ex cathedra pronouncements work. No, Pope Pius XII goes to great lengths to explain in this document that this teaching has been a consistent and fervent belief of the Church since the earliest centuries.

He gives evidence for this belief in the writings of Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, John Damascene, Pope Adrian I and MANY MORE. But he states that this pronouncement is important now (that is, the 20th century) precisely because the world has shown how desperately it needs Mary.

I will paraphrase the opening paragraphs of MD thus:

The world is going to hell in a handbasket. Things are rough. But we see that Catholics who are active in living their faith and who draw close to Mary are doing great, holy things. So it feels like the right time to talk about this assumption idea.

Of course, everything that we say about the goodness of drawing closer to Mary rests specifically on her unique and privileged relationship to Christ. We make pronouncements about Mary because of what we believe about Christ.

So with this great Marian feast day, I'd encourage you to sit and actually read the text of this pronouncement, and to reflect on the importance of Mary-- body and soul-- for today's world and in your own heart.

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