If you are like me, sometimes you can have the false understanding that “having your head in the clouds” is a bad thing. But maybe not.
Images of Mary floating into the heavens can tempt one to think that Catholics are holding to a fairytale belief when it comes to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Similar to countless aspects of the Catholic faith, however, the dogma of the Assumption is based on logical reasoning and the strong belief of the early Church. In order to learn from today’s Solemnity, let us brush aside any doubts about its validity to begin.
The Assumption of the Blessed Mother is logical because she never sinned. Since she was free from even the stain of original sin, Mary did not experience the worst consequence of that sin: death.
Since Mary never saw corruption in her soul her body would not see corruption either. Her Assumption is not fantasy, but a logical conclusion brought about from what Christ did in her. It was also based on living testimony.
The early Church also gave homage to her Assumption from very early on. There are many comments regarding the Assumption of Mary from the 3rd and 4th centuries. These strong devotions would have taken quite some time to become so normalized. Recent fragments of documents as early as the 2nd century even refer to her Assumption.
What we celebrate today is rooted in rational thought as well as the experience of millions of Catholics down the centuries. I am learning to trust that both the logic and experience of the saints over the years ought to breed more of a focus on heavenly things in my life, not less.
We must always keep our feet on the ground and live in the real world. We don’t want to be out of touch with the real needs of people and we don’t want to become so entrenched in the invisible order that we neglect the needs of the everyday. But even there Mary was consumed with the life of the living God. She lived and breathed heavenly things. When we read the lives of the saints the same truth rings out loud and clear. We can and should allow the Feast of the Assumption to inspire in us a desire to imitate the saints’ focus on that which is “not of this world.”
In honor of the Assumption of Mary, there are three lessons we can implement to live more for heavenly realities.
First, we ought to live more from the liturgical calendar. Today’s celebration reveals that our final goal is to arrive in heaven. If we desire this above everything else in our life then it can only be smart to learn from those who have won their reward. Buying a Catholic calendar with feast days or staying updated online can help us remain steadfast to this practice.
The second lesson is connected to the first: talk about God and holy things often. It may be second nature to attend Sunday Mass or even say our prayers each day, but how often do we speak to others about heavenly things? We want to discern this carefully so we are not obnoxious, but we should be regularly talking about the faith and the impact God has had in our lives. An easy way to implement this is to bring up the saint of the day when we are in casual conversations in our home or at work or in school. Mary, and the saints, had incredible lives and they are great conversation starters.
Finally, Mary’s Assumption reminds us that we are not perfect. Her glorious Assumption, juxtaposed with our sinfulness, reminds us that we need the mercy of God. She sits in heaven at the right hand of Christ pleading with us to bring our failings to her Son in the sacrament of reconciliation. Nothing pleases Mary more than when her children are reconciled with her son.
Unfortunately, so many Catholics fail to partake regularly in this beautiful and healing sacrament. We know that so many saints frequented Confession on a regular (weekly) basis. If they could find sins to confess, what about me? What about us? Availing ourselves of the Sacrament of Confession would be a third way to keep “our heads in the clouds” – in a good way.
So, make this day urge you to live more in the clouds. May it make you more fascinated by and obsessed with becoming holy and allowing Christ to work through you and in you. When we make that our commitment, the saints sing and the Mother of God rejoices from her spot in heaven, where she was assumed in glory.
Read the Divine Intimacy meditation on the Assumption here.
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Juan Martín Cabezalero, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
