Heaven – Not Far!

Friday, August 15, 2025

Solemnity of the Assumption

Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab; 1 Cor 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56

The Feast of the Assumption invites us to imitate Mother Mary’s faithfulness and dedication to the cause of God. 

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, in his Munificentissimus Deus, wrote that ‘We pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.’ Continuing his teaching on Mary, the Pope said, ‘Finally, it is our hope that belief in Mary’s bodily Assumption into heaven will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective.’

Thus, the dogmatic proclamation on Mary’s Assumption invites us to draw inspiration from her ‘birth into heaven’ so that our faith in resurrection will attain a new meaning, transforming the very goal and meaning of our life. 

As such, the Feast of the Assumption is a reminder that all of us can partake of Mary’s privilege if our lives are characterized by her faithfulness and devotion. 

 The feast inspires our response to Mary’s privilege of Assumption. 

Heaven – Not Far Away: The greatness of Mary’s life should be studied from her unconditional ‘yes’ to the salvific plan of God. With Mary’s fiat, heaven entered time, and God became flesh in her womb. Thus, Mary made room for heaven in the world. However, that is not all. Her faith in God and faithfulness to the divine plan made her blessed in the eyes of God, as her elderly cousin affirmed in her words, ‘Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfil His promises to her’ (Lk 1:45). Thus, it is her blessedness that has been rewarded by God with her Assumption into heaven. In other words, the one who brought the heaven near through her unconditional ‘yes’ has shown through her Assumption that the heaven is not far away for those who are faithful to God’s plan. Mary’s life is an example of the fact that such holy discipleship is possible for all of us and that the heavenly glory is real.

God – In Our Favor: Mary’s life offers yet another reminder that God is always in favor of those who are faithful to Him. In this sense, the glory of the Assumption is not simply about Mary being lifted to heaven but also about God fulfilling His promises, as we can see in today’s second reading from Paul to the Corinthians. Paul’s words help us realize that God is never distant to those who call on Him and cling to Him in faithfulness like Mary. In other words, it is in and through our faithfulness that we can experience the nearness of God as Mary’s life becomes a visible proof of it. Mary was privileged with God’s abundant love and blessing because she chose to live for God, overcoming her own fears and anxiety. If we imitate Mary’s witness, we may find the God who acts in our favor too.

Christian Life – A Journey of Hope: Mary’s life exemplifies the fact that heavenly glory is an assured gift for those who can imitate Mary’s dedication to being faithful to God and thus, not exclusive to her. Hence, Mary’s privilege of the Assumption is a promise for us that, like her, the first of the faithful to follow Christ’s resurrection, we all may enter heavenly glory through living meaningful and faithful lives. Through Mary’s Assumption, God shows what awaits all who are faithful to him. We read the same in 2 Peter 3:9, that ‘It is not God’s will that any should perish.’ Besides that, the bodily Assumption of Mary is a reminder that our body and soul are meant for glory, and they must be oriented toward fulfilling God-given purposes. Thus, in Mary’s privilege, we find our own future resurrection, communion with God, and eternal life. 

Let us pray that we may join Mother Mary in her glory by leading a life of faithful love. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar