What is the Feast of the Assumption

 What is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
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This day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary means that Mary was assumed (taken up) into Heaven body and soul.  It is so important for the Church that it is a holy day of obligation, that is, a day on which the whole church comes together in offering the Mass. Even when the feast falls on a weekday, the feast is still a holy day of obligation, and Catholics are required to make the effort to attend Mass on this feast.

In Australia, there are only two holy day of obligations, the assumption being one of them and the other Christmas Day.

 WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS FEAST DURING PANDEMIC IN 2020

However, in 2020, because of the pandemic and the closures of the church, the holy day of obligation is waived for those countries where Mass is unable to be celebrated publicly For those countries who have returned to public Masses, the holy day of obligation is in place.  Hopefully it will encourage all Catholics in those countries to attend Mass not only because of the feast and its obligation but in solidarity for other Catholics world wide who cannot attend a  public Mass.

 Because of the significance of the Feast, Catholics should make the effort whether it be publicly or through live streaming to attend Mass on this day.

 

 WHY IS THIS FEAST IMPORTANT.

Why is this feast so important?  This feast:

1.            Is celebrated in the Church because it recognizes the greatest honour that belongs to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and mother of God to be the perfect disciple of Jesus and the most perfect fulfillment of His work of salvation.

2.            Has its primary focus on Mary, rather than a secondary one. In other feasts of Mary, the focus is primarily focus on Jesus first and then Mary.

3.            Teaches us that 'it is greater thing that Mary be the Lord's disciple than His mother'. We honour hat greatness of Mary as we recognize the full outcome of being the disciple of Jesus: entry into eternal life of the blessed, in the company of all the saints, in the vision of the eternal goodness and beauty of God.

4.            Helps us to look forward in faith to the resurrection of the body, in the hope of which we bring all those who have died to the Catholic funeral rites.

The Second Vatican Council, in the Constitution on the Church, reaffirmed the article of faith that 'having completed the course of her early life, Mary was assumed in body and soul to heavenly glory’. In this document Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council reiterated the words of Pope Pius X11 in defining this doctrine as a divinely revealed dogma in 1950.

 

The document also gave this further explanation about this feast. It says

 

'In the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she exists without spot or wrinkle, and further in the bodily  and spiritual glory which she possesses in heaven, the mother of Jesus continues in this present world as the image and first flowering of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come.  Likewise Mary shines forth until the day the Lord shall come as a sign of sure hope and comfort for the pilgrim People of God.' (Lumen Gentium 59,65,68)

 

So these are a few thoughts about this feast of the Assumption.  As you attend Mass today, you may reflect further on this feast and what it means to you.

 HOW ELSE CAN i CELEBRATE THIS FEAST.

Of course, you also have the opportunity to reflect on this Feast when you recite the Glorious mysteries of the Rosary- the Fourth decade is of course The Assumption of Our Lady.  On this feast of Our Lady, why not at least say one decade of the Rosary if you cannot manage to say 5 decades.

Consider your relationship with Mary.  Catholics do not worship Mary.  They honour her but do not worship or adore her because worship and adoration is only meant for God alone.

However, Catholics can honour her because she is the mother of Jesus and is our spiritual mother since Jesus gave us Mary just before He died on Calvary.  ' Woman behold your Son' and behold your Mother'.
The scripture says that John the beloved disciple took Mary into her home from that moment on. 

It is fitting that Mary who was sinless from the time of her conception was taken up body and soul into heaven and crowned Queen of Heaven and earth. We reflect on this mystery when we recite the 5th Glorious mystery of the Rosary.  Mary had to be sinless if she was to carry Jesus, the Son of God in her womb and give birth to Him.  She had to be sinless for her to be able to mother Him on earth until the crucifixion and it is fitting therefore that as the first disciple she is taken up body and soul. She was sinless on earth so it stand to reason that taking her up to Heaven body and soul.