Homily:
The Assumption of Mary, YR C
August 15, 2004
by Fr. William Holtzinger
Introduction
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. This is not the same
thing as the Ascension. The Ascension is the event where Jesus, under his own
power, was raised to heaven. The word Assumption comes from the Latin root
meaning to draw unto one’s self. So the Assumption occurs due to Jesus’ power
over Mary which draws her to himself. That said, I’d like to organize today’s
homily in two parts: Part one as a theological reflection, and part two as a
hermeneutical or spiritual reflection.
Pius XXI’s Pronouncement
There are some who claim that the dogma of the Assumption was invented by the
Church. Some will even say in the year 1950. In truth, the Church, through
Pope Pius XII did declare infallibly the Church’s belief in the Assumption of
Mary on Nov. 1, 1950 in the document Munificentimus Deus. But, he didn’t make it
up nor was it the culmination of a bunch of smart guys getting together in order
to create doctrine. Rather, his pronouncement was an official recognition of a
belief of the Church since antiquity. Prior to his pronouncement, Pius XII
queried the Church (see Deiparae Virginis Mariae, May 1, 1946) as to whether or
not it would be “lawful, convenient and useful” to the Church to make an
official decree recognizing the Assumption as a dogma of faith. The response
returned in favor for such a decree. So Pius XII decreed as Catholic Dogma that
Mary, “after the completion of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into
the glory of heaven" (Munificentissimus Deus, 1950).
History and Development of Doctrine
The dogma of the Assumption is a good example of the development of doctrine. In
other words, the appreciation, veneration, as well as prayer and reflection on
Mary has grown through the centuries.
The earliest evidence about the Assumption points to apostolic times, though
more reliable data can be found in the 4th century. In the 1st century, the
Eastern Church placed the feast in their liturgy while the Western Church
brought it into the liturgy in the 7th century. Additionally, among the list of
apocryphal works of Pope Gelasius (5th century), one was entitled, Transitus
Sanctae Mariae or the Passing of the Blessed Mary from this world to the next.
It gave a hyper-dramatic story of the Assumption. The writings of the early
Fathers such as St. Gregory and St. John Damascene also promoted the belief. At
the Council of Chalcedon (451), St. Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, was instructed
to retrieve Mary’s body for transport to Constantinople by Emperor Marcian and
Pulcheria. Juvenal reported that she had died in the presence of the Apostles,
but that her tomb, when opened, was found empty. It was from that evidence that
the Apostles concluded that Mary’s body was Assumed into heaven.
The Scriptures are silent about the Assumption of Mary. However, they are not
silent about several other departures into glory (cf. Enoch (Gen. 5:24), Elijah
(2 Kings 2:1), and Moses (Deut. 34:5-6)). Pope Pius XII, in his declaration,
also reflected on other Scriptures (Ps. 131:8, Cant. 3:6, Rev. 12, Is. 61:13 and
Cant. 8:5) as support for the theological possibility and worthiness of Mary’s
Assumption. The lack of direct evidence does not demand that it did or did not
happen. Arguments from silence are never very strong, but doesn’t empty them
from pointing to the truth. The Church has been given the commission by Jesus,
as well as the promise of guidance by the Holy Spirit (John 12:26, 16:13), to
proclaim the true faith until the end of time. Theologically, this reality
allows the Church to pronounce teachings whether explicit in Scripture or not,
so long as those teachings are not in contradiction with Scripture.
Did Mary Die or Not?
It is important to clear up one point about the dogma. There has appeared two
camps of understanding. One understands the dogma to say that Mary never died.
The other understands the dogma to say that she did die. For the Orthodox, it is
clear that she did die. But in Roman Catholic theology, there is no distinction.
Recall that Pope Pius XII stated that she was assumed body and soul into heaven
at the “the completion of her earthly life.” So any reflection about the details
therein are simply unknown. Interestingly enough, in Jerusalem, there is a
church called Dormition Abbey (http://www.christusrex.org/www1/jsc/TVCcenac.html),
referring to the place of her final resting (sleeping) place. The Orthodox
tradition also gives an account of her Assumption (see
http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/dormition.shtml
and
http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/dormition/learn/).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem offers another version with less hyperbole than the
Transitus Sanctae Mariae in his homily on the Dormition of Mary (see
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~sshoemak/texts/coptic/Cyril.htm).
An Apocryphal Assumption of Mary
The text, Transitus Sanctae Mariae, was possibly written in Greek, has come down
to us in Latin and Arabic forms. It’s authorship is anonymous though it has been
purported to be the work of Melito, Bishop of Sardis in the second century.
Before reading the text, it is important to note that a text determined to be
apocryphal (def. “hidden things”) was ultimately not considered by the Church to
be inspired fully and inerrant in truth. Such determinations can be given for
many reasons. Without going into all the reasons, this particular text has many
historical inaccuracies and is not reliable with regard to details of how the
Assumption happened. Indeed, it follows the tradition of an haggadah midrash which embellishes/amplifies the details in order to tell a story. But the
ultimate message of the Assumption is doctrinally sound (Jacques Hervieux, “The
New Testament Apocrypha, cf. Nihil Obstat Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph h. Brady, S.T.D,
1960). Ultimately, I believe that the text, being of such antiquity, offers a
valuable witness to the Church’s belief in the Assumption at a very early time
in her history.
(read portions of text: “The New Testament Apocrypha,” Jacques Hervieux,
Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism, VI, Vol. 72, Hawthorn Books, New
York, 1960, pp. 85-92.)
So, Pope Pius XII based his declaration on the sensus fidelium, the consistent
tradition of the Church, and theology.
Hermeneutic/Spiritual Reflection
So what impact does her Assumption have for us? Basically, it encourages us to
strive for a holy life, and know that the reward of our faith is life in heaven,
body and soul. If she can do it, maybe we can do it too. Of course, none of us
were immaculately conceived. So, she definitely had a head start. Yet, she was a
human being. She has given us the more prime example of how to follow Jesus. Her
role is not to be underestimated. Again, for many of our Protestant brothers and
sisters she is basically avoided. If one talks about her, then one risks
sounding like a Catholic. Yet, we are not to ignore her as the preeminent
disciple. As she is now in heaven, we are also encouraged to pray to her. No, we
do not worship her. That devotion is for God alone. Yet, we believe that she can
pray with us and for us. She has no power on her own. Her power as an
intercessor is due solely though the grace and power of God. Without God she can
do nothing. But, because of God’s singular favor towards her, she is the most
powerful intercessor. So, we are encouraged to pray to her. We are encouraged to
ask her to pray for us to her son. She is the queen of heaven. She is the first
of all the disciples. She is our model and guide to Jesus. We hear in the
Scriptures that all generations will call her blessed. Furthermore, while her
Immaculate Conception and Assumption into Heaven were special gifts from God,
her greatest importance lies in the fact that she heard the Word of God (as a
very young girl) and did it (Luke 11:28).
We are to model ourselves after Mary. As we celebrate Mass today, don’t leave
unmoved or unchanged. Be aware that Mary partook in the flesh of Jesus. Be aware
that when we partake in the Eucharist, we too partake in his flesh. Therefore,
we are again uniting ourselves with Mary when we celebrate today. Through our
celebration we are all united as one body, the body of Jesus the son of Mary.
Blessed are we among people to share in this divine meal. May we know this
incarnate Word and live it.
For more information, see
http://www.catholic.com/library/Immaculate_Conception_and_Assum.asp
and
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm
Appendix:
Orthodox Tradition:
FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF OUR MOST HOLY LADY, THE THEOTOKOS AND
EVER-VIRGIN MARY
from
http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/dormition/learn/
Introduction
The Feast of the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos
and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15 each year. The Feast
commemorates the repose (dormition and in the Greek kimisis) or "falling-asleep"
of the Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord. The Feast also commemorates the
translation or assumption into heaven of the body of the Theotokos.
Story of the Feast
The Holy Scriptures tell us that when our Lord was dying on the Cross, He saw
His mother and His disciple John and said to the Virgin Mary, "Woman, behold
your son!" and to John, "Behold your mother!" (John 19:25-27). From that hour,
the Apostle took care of the Theotokos in his own home.
Along with the biblical reference in Acts 2:14 that confirms that the Virgin
Mary was with the Holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the tradition of the
Church holds that she remained in the home of the Apostle John in Jerusalem,
continuing a ministry in word and deed.
At the time of her death, the disciples of our Lord who were preaching
throughout the world returned to Jerusalem to see the Theotokos. Except for the
Apostle Thomas, all of them including the Apostle Paul were gathered together at
her bedside. At the moment of her death, Jesus Christ himself descended and
carried her soul into heaven.
Following her repose, the body of the Theotokos was taken in procession and laid
in a tomb near the Garden of Gethsemane. When the Apostle Thomas arrived three
days after her repose and desired to see her body, the tomb was found to be
empty. The bodily assumption of the Theotokos was confirmed by the message of an
angel and by her appearance to the Apostles.
Orthodox Tradition:
The Dormition of the Mother of God
from
http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/dormition.shtml
One day, when the Most-holy Mary was praying thus on the Mount of Olives, the
Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her with a branch from a date palm in Paradise and
told Her the joyful news that in three days She would finish Her earthly life,
and the Lord would take Her to Himself. The Most-holy Mother of God silently
rejoiced over this news. She told Her adopted son, John, and began to prepare
for Her end. At that time, the other apostles were not in Jerusalem, as they had
dispersed to other countries to preach about the Savior. The Mother of God
wanted to bid farewell to them, and so the Lord in a miraculous manner gathered
all the apostles to Her, except Thomas, transporting them by His omnipotent
power.
Grief befell them over losing the Mother of the Lord and their own spiritual
Mother when they learned why God had gathered them. But the Mother of God
comforted them promising not to leave them and all Christians after Her death
and promising also to pray for them. Then, She blessed them all.
At the hour of Her death, an extraordinary light shone in the room where the
Mother of God lay. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, surrounded by angels, appeared
and received Her pure soul.
The apostles buried the pure body of the Mother of God according to Her wishes
in the Garden of Gethsemane where the body of Her parents and the righteous
Joseph were buried. At the funeral, many miracles were performed. By touching
the deathbed of the Mother of God, the blind regained their sight, demons were
driven away, and all sorts of illnesses were cured. Crowds of people followed
Her most pure body. Jewish priests and leaders tried to break up this holy
procession, but the Lord invisibly protected it. One of the Jewish priests, by
the name of Athonius, ran up, seized and tried to overturn the bier on which the
body of the Mother of God was laid. But an invisible angel chopped off both his
hands. Athonius, struck by such a wondrous miracle, repented and the Apostle
Peter healed him.
Three days after the burial of the Mother of God, the absent Apostle Thomas
arrived in Jerusalem. He was greatly saddened that he had not been able to say
farewell to the Mother of God; and with all his heart, he desired to venerate
Her most pure remains. The apostles felt so sorry for him that they decided to
go and roll away the stone from the tomb to give him the possibility to venerate
for the last time the body of the Mother of God. But when they opened the tomb,
Her most holy body was not found, but only one piece of burial shroud was there.
The amazed apostles returned to the house together and prayed to God to reveal
to them what had become of the body of the Mother of God. In the evening, at the
end of dinner during prayer, they heard angelic singing. Looking up, the
apostles saw in the air the Mother of God surrounded by angels and in the
radiance of heavenly glory. The Mother of God said to the apostles, "Rejoice! I
am with you always and will pray for you before God."
The apostles exclaimed to Her in joy, "Most-holy Mother of God, help us!"
Thus the Lord Jesus Christ glorified His Most-holy Mother. He resurrected Her
and took Her most holy body to Himself and set Her higher than all His angels.
Note: A full description of the Dormition of the Mother of God is found in
Church Tradition and preserved by the Holy Orthodox Church.
The Dormition of our Most-holy Lady Mother of God is celebrated by the Holy
Orthodox Church as one of its major feasts on the 15th of August (28th of August
NS). Preceding this feast, there is a two-week fast beginning from the 1st of
August. This feast is called the Dormition ("falling asleep") because the Mother
of God died quietly as if She was falling asleep and, more importantly, because
of the short sojourn of Her body in the grave. After three days, She was
resurrected by the Lord and ascended into Heaven.