Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you read all of the readings for the Vigil as well as for today’s celebration, you’ll notice a few passages that deal with the Ark of the Covenant. In the first reading for the Vigil, we find a passage dealing with King David returning the Ark to the people of Israel, bringing it to Jerusalem. In today’s first reading from the Book of Revelation, we again find the Ark, this time in heaven. Now the Ark was often used in battle, and so it’s interesting that the Ark appears in Revelation right before a depiction of spiritual warfare, battle with Satan who is depicted as a large dragon. When we turn to the Gospel reading from today, the account of the Visitation from St. Luke’s Gospel, we find another parallel with the Ark of the Covenant. St. Luke depicts the visitation in language that is reminiscent of David’s recapturing of the Ark.
It is easy to see why the Church venerates Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant. Like the Ark of old, Mary too bore within her the Word of God (10 Commandments in the old Ark), the Bread from Heaven (manna in the old Ark), and the true high priest (merely represented by the high priestly staff in the old Ark). But the significance of today’s feast is much deeper than this, and the connection between Mary and the Ark is really only a starting point: Mary as new Ark of the Covenant is in heaven (Revelation 11:19); She has been assumed into heaven.
What the feast of the Assumption is for us is a sign of hope. It is a sign of hope that emphasizes the significance of the body. The body is good and shall be redeemed. When we are glorified in heaven, we will have new resurrected and glorified bodies for eternity. But how can we become blessed, like Mary, and come to our rest in our eternal heavenly home? By following her example implied in Jesus’ response in the Gospel reading for the Vigil of today’s feast, also taken from St. Luke’s Gospel. When a woman in the crowd blesses Mary on account of her having bore and nursed Jesus, Jesus explains the true reason for her blessedness, which is hope for our own: “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (11:28). Remember, this is the same Gospel that already called Mary “blessed” (1:42 and 48). The woman in the crowd is not wrong to call Mary “blessed,” this is what Mary herself has told us already in St. Luke’s Gospel all generations will do. What Jesus is doing is explaining the reason for her blessedness, which is precisely how Mary came to bear and nurse Jesus: she heard the word of God and observed it. Moreover, by explaining that “those” are blessed who do likewise, Jesus gives us the hope that we too might be among the blessed.
On this important feast let us then follow the example set for us by the Blessed Virgin Mary and strive to hear and listen to the Word of God, and observe it. Let us turn to our Blessed Mother for her intercession to help us live faithful lives to God as she did on earth, so that we might share with her in the eternal blessedness in which she already participates.
- Jeff Morrow