Mary Model’s our Future Glory
What is the Assumption?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 966, states our believe that:
“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 966)
One of the four Marian Dogmas given to us by the Church, the doctrine of the Assumption reveals the purity and fullness of Our Blessed Mother, but also reveals much about God’s plan and hope for all of humanity. As Catholics, we believe that Mary was assumed into Heaven Body and Soul, and never knew the decay of death as we know it.
After all, how could a vessel so pure be subject to the decay that was ultimately brought about by sin? As the Church, we know that one of the effects of sin is suffering, inclusive of sickness and temporal evils. Mary, who was preserved from the effects of original sin in her soul as well as her body from the moment of conception, lived a fully integrated life. And in the footsteps of her Son who conquered death, she followed Him body and soul into Heaven, just as we are called to do at the end of time. This does not mean that Mary never experienced suffering, but rather that she willingly embraced it because of her love for her Son and His love for us.
The Assumption of Our Blessed Mother, a non-divine being, is a joyful reminder that we are all called to fully follow Christ into Heaven, body and soul, just like Our Mother before us.
While we, unlike Mary, have inherited the effects of original sin—namely death—Christ’s own death and resurrection allow us to be fully integrated in body and soul once more, through the removal of original sin, and enter Heaven in our entirety when Christ comes again at the end of this world.
Your body is truly a temple of the Holy Spirit and we have a dwelling place in Heaven! Let us strive to care for our body, soul, and mind so that we may be fully at the disposal of Christ’s love and desire for our very beings!
