Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Revelation 19a.12:1-6a.10ab; I Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke
1:39-56)
In the Olympics the world’s most perfect bodies are
celebrated. The athletes have strained
for years to render their bodies exquisitely fit for a prize on the sports
stage of the whole world. Despite all
this work in time these same bodies will grow weak whether from neglect or
disease. The days will come when they,
like the bodies of all living things, will cease to function completely. The remains of these bodies then will have to
be disposed in some form or another
In the case of the Mother of God, however, the day of death
was short-lived. Her body was assumed
into God’s glory because it was not corrupted by the guilt of sin. She lived a life like that of the rest of us
– full of moments of joy and hours of drudgery.
But, unlike us, she never despised another person as not worth her
attention. She never wanted more than
she knew she deserved. She never
deceived anyone for either meanness or gain.
Not weighed down by guilt, Mary was granted the greatest prize in the
world or out of it. Her body remained
intact after death and entered the company of her glorious son.
That our bodies will also deteriorate and perish need not
make us sad. We know that we have joined
ourselves to Christ who has conquered death.
Our bodies will rise again at the end of time with an appearance perhaps
not unlike those of Olympians today. But
that won’t be a cause for joy nearly so much as our nearness to him who saved
us.
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