In the book of Chronicles we can read of Israel’s great rejoicing as the Ark made its ways into the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with poles,
as Moses had ordained according to the word of the LORD.
David commanded the chiefs of the Levites
to appoint their kinsmen as chanters,
to play on musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals,
to make a loud sound of rejoicing.
Down in Little Italy there is a procession much like the procession described in 1st Chronicles. And here too, this evening we gather in similar exuberance, celebrating liturgically the New Ark entering the New Eternal Jerusalem—the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Assumption into Heaven. Mary entered into the liturgy of heaven, her Assumption is like a procession, and she will be honored forever by the saints and angels as Queen of the Blessed.
Mary is the true ark, for she contained within her womb, what the objects in the old ark foreshadowed. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the New Lawgiver, he himself is the fulfillment of the old priesthood, for he offered himself as sacrifice for all mankind on the altar of the Cross, and he is the fulfillment of the Old Manna, as we’ve been hearing these last few Sundays: Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died…I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.
The Ark was the holiest object in existence to the Jews; and now Christians honor Mary as the New Ark, and most blessed, most holy of all women. Our first reading from the book of Revelation described Mary, as the Ark of Heaven pregnant with the Son of the Most High, clothed with the brilliance of the Sun.
We celebrate her entrance into the Eternal Holy City with the hope at the end of our earthly lives we may join her, and join with the saints and angels in honoring her and worshiping God forever.
Yet, in order to join her in the Heavenly Jerusalem, we need to follow her example. Jesus states in the Gospel, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Elizabeth proclaims Mary to be blessed, because she believed in the Word of God. Mary was blessed to become the New Ark, the Mother of Christ Jesus, because she said “yes” to the Word of God. And, so for us to be enter the company of the blessed and enter into that Heavenly reward, we must follow Our Lady’s example and say “yes” to God’s Word as well, and strive in obedience to God’s Word in its entirety.
The preface to the Eucharistic prayer today particularly expresses the rich themes of this solemnity. Listen to this wonderful prayer, addressed to the Father, which I will offer from the altar on your behalf:
“Today the Virgin Mother of God was assumed into heaven as the beginning and image of your Church’s coming to perfection and a sign of sure hope and comfort to your pilgrim people; rightly you would not allow her to see the corruption of the tomb since from her own body she marvelously brought forth your incarnate Son, the Author of all life.”
What a wonderfully rich prayer, and I’d like to focus on three themes in particularly.
First, Mary was assumed into heaven. Second, Her assumption brings us comfort and hope. And third, Her perfection is a sign of our perfection to come. These three theme point to the Past, present, and future. Mary’s Assumption, an event 2000 years ago in the past, gives us, the Church in the present, comfort and hope, and gives us a glimpse into the future, of the perfection awaiting God’s faithful ones.
2000 years ago, at the end of her earthly life, Mary’s body was taken directly into heaven. Earthly remains are normally buried—earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Yet Mary, unstained by sin, incorrupt in body and soul, taken into the heavenly realm by God.
There is even historical proof for this. The early Church had a profound respect and devotion to relics—the earthly remains of the saints. And It was the practice of the early Church to gather at the places where the relics of the saints where buried; yet, no community ever claimed to have the relics of the Mother of Our Lord. Why? Because there weren’t any—they were taken directly to heaven.
So, how does this give us, 2000 years later, hope and comfort?
The Assumption is like the light at the end of a dark tunnel, or a lighthouse guiding us into safe harbor. Where she has gone, we hope to go too.
And we do say hope, we hope for heaven, because heaven is not a guarantee. As our Lord said in the Gospel, eternal blessedness is contingent about hearing and observing the Word of God. Mary is called Blessed and is Queen of the Blessed because of her faithfulness, her obedience, every day of her life.
Her Assumption is so comforting to us because we can have real hope, that our struggle to observe the Word of God, amidst all of the difficulties and darkness and temptations of life, we can have real hope that faithfulness leads to heaven. In any struggle, we do well to turn to Mary’s example and seek her intercession. As we pray in the beautiful Memorare prayer: never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection, implored her help, or sought her intercession was left unaided. So often we fall into sin because we fail to turn to God’s help in the moment of temptation, and what a great help we have in the Blessed Virgin…the Church even gives her the title Auxilium Christianorum, the Help of Christians.
Finally, her perfection and place in heaven is a sign of our perfection to come in heaven. Oftentimes we think of heaven as being a purely spiritual realm. But Mary was Assumed Body and Soul into heaven—heaven will involve a Bodily experience—one that includes chanting and singing beautiful hymns, playing of musical instruments to the praise of God—the liturgy of heaven will be a bodily experience greater than anything we have ever experienced here on earth.
As we contemplate the great wonder of God in the Heavenly Assumption of his most obedient human creation, let us ask the blessed Mother to obtain for us all the grace we need to be faithful and obedient to all the Lord asks of us, that we may be exalted on high like her and share in the joy of the heavenly Jerusalem, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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