In recent days we celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which is undoubtedly one of the most deeply rooted feasts and devotions in the entire Church, even long before it was declared a Dogma of Faith by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950. But it is precisely in this Dogma that we find a first glimpse of God’s mercy, granted to Mary and, at the same time, presented as a hope for all people.

According to the Bull Munificentissimus Deus of Pius XII: “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.” And although this might seem logical to us, given that she is the Mother of God,
there are elements that motivate us, as Catholics, to trust that God’s mercy is not reserved solely for the Mother of his Son, but extends to all who seek to do his will.

The fact that Mary was assumed into heaven, body and soul, also leads us to contemplate the mystery of her passage from this world to the next. Church tradition has spoken extensively about the Dormition of Mary, and various theologians and Church Fathers, such as St. John Damascene, reflected on this mystery. However, the Dogma of the Assumption does not
explicitly define whether Mary died before being assumed into heaven. What is truly important is that, in contemplating this mystery, we find a truth that also applies to us: God created us for eternal life, and heaven is prepared for those who, with faith and perseverance, seek to do his will (cf. Jn 14:2-3; 1 Cor 15:42-49).

The Dogma of the Assumption is deeply connected to the other Marian dogmas: the Immaculate Conception, the Perpetual Virginity, and the Divine Motherhood. Mary was chosen by God to be the Mother of his Son and, from her conception, was preserved from original sin by a singular grace from God in consideration of the merits of Christ. She remained ever-virgin and, by freely accepting the divine will, became the Mother of God made man (cf. Lk 1:26-38).

In all these events we see the glorious hand of God; however, God’s plan also relied on Mary’s full willingness, on that “yes” pronounced with trust and obedience, and on the certainty placed in the promise she received through the angel: “For God nothing is impossible” (Lk 1:37).

But, setting aside the divine graces bestowed upon Mary as Theotokos—Mother of God—the Assumption reveals a great truth: heaven, glory, and paradise are not reserved exclusively for a select few, but rather the goal to which God calls all his children (cf. 1 Tim 2:4). To journey toward this goal, it is necessary to contemplate and imitate Mary’s example.

First, we must be aware that we too were created and called by God. He knew us before we existed; He knew our history, our talents, our weaknesses, and also the purpose for which He called us to life. We are not here by chance. Like Mary, each of us has a mission that God has entrusted to us (cf. Jer 1:5; Ps 139:13-16).

A second important point is obedience to God through his commandments and the teachings of the Church. But above all, we must be fully aware that true obedience springs from love. When one loves, one is able to endure, persevere, offer, and give oneself. Obedience is not a cage in which God takes away our freedom; on the contrary, it is the free response of a heart that recognizes God as the true good and learns to discern between what leads to life and what distances us from him (cf. Jn 14:15; 1 Jn 5:3).

Mary was full of God’s grace and, therefore, was able to respond with confidence when she received the announcement of her Son’s birth. Faced with the question, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”, she did not close herself off to the mystery nor allow doubt to overcome her faith. After receiving the angel’s explanation, she responded with those words that continue to be an example for us all: “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:34, 38).

That is why it is so important to love and obey. Those who truly love God seek to be faithful to his commandments and the teachings of his Church. And finally, following Mary’s example, we need to place our trust in God: to have hope in his promises and the certainty that, even though we often don’t know how things will turn out, he remains
the master of our lives, our destiny, our hearts, and our minds.

You just have to let it act, like Maria.

The Assumption of Mary is also a clear sign that this world is fleeting; that our earthly life is finite and that we are living through a process that forms us, molds us, and prepares us for eternal life (cf. 2 Cor 4:16-18). Often, and with good reason, we weep at the loss of a family member or loved one. The pain of separation is real and profoundly human. However, as Catholics, we are called to keep alive the
hope that death does not have the final word and that, through Christ’s promise, we hope to one day meet again in the presence of God (cf. 1 Thess 4:13-18; Jn 11:25-26).

Life on earth is not forever, but the glory of the Lord is. That is where we must fix our gaze and not falter along the way. Our human nature often leads us to fall into sin, but it is precisely there that we find another virtue of Mary that we are called to imitate: perseverance in God even in the midst of trials, even in the midst of the world, and even in the midst of human frailty.

Mary remained faithful. She remained full of grace and open to the action of the Holy Spirit. And this should also encourage us: the fact that we are human does not mean that we are perfect; it means that we are called to journey toward perfection in God. He who created us is perfect, and our efforts should be directed toward drawing ever closer to Him, seeking that fullness that springs from divine love (cf. Mt 5:48).

And it is precisely here that the mystery of the Assumption encounters the great message left to us by the Jubilee of Hope. Pope Francis, in the Bull Spes non confundit, reminds us that “hope does not disappoint” (cf. Rom 5:5) and that this hope is born of God’s love, sustained by the action of the Holy Spirit, and leads us to glory (cf. Rom 5:1-5). Christian hope is not simply a wish for things to go well; it is the certainty that God fulfills his promises.

Mary is precisely a privileged witness to this hope. She, who remained faithful even at the foot of the cross, without losing her trust in God, becomes for us also the Mother of Hope. In her we contemplate not only the woman who said “yes” to God, but also the creature who already shares in the glory that we are all called to attain (cf. Lk 2:34-35; Jn 19:25-27).

The Assumption of Mary, therefore, is not only a privilege granted to the Mother of God; it is also a sign that allows us to look toward our own destiny. Mary shows us in advance what we await: the victory of Christ over death, the glorification of humankind, and the fullness of life with God (cf. 1 Cor 15:20-23; Phil 3:20-21).

Today, 76 years after the formal declaration of the Dogma of the Assumption, the depth of this mystery remains undiminished. We, the faithful, must understand that in Mary we are shown, in anticipation, the fullness of God’s work: the mercy of the Father, the redeeming power of the risen Son, and the action of the Holy Spirit, who fills the human heart and makes it capable of becoming a dwelling place and witness of God.

We cannot remain indifferent to this celebration. On the contrary, we should take it as an
impetus to increase our Faith, strengthen our Hope, and burn with Charity (cf. 1 Cor 13:13).

The Assumption of Mary should not be merely a feast we celebrate; it should also be a promise we contemplate and a hope that inspires us. Mary reminds us that our ultimate destiny is not in this world, but in God. That it is worthwhile to say “yes” when He calls us. That it is worthwhile to obey when we do not fully understand His ways. That it is worthwhile to remain faithful even in the midst of difficulties.

Because only God can do great works, only God can make all things new (cf. Rev 21:5) and only He can grant us the reward of eternal life, not because of our own merits, but according to His infinite goodness and mercy.

And so, as we contemplate Mary assumed into heaven, we can also look toward our own hope. She is a sign of what God can accomplish in those who surrender to his will. She teaches us that persevering faith, obedience born of love, and trust in God are not futile paths, but trails that lead to eternal life.

Because Christian hope does not disappoint: God fulfills his promises, Christ has conquered death, and Mary shows us, in advance, the glory to which we too are called. Mary, Mother of Hope, pray for us and teach us to say, “Thy will be done in me!”

Alain Reyes