The Assumption of Mary reminds us that we, unlike her, must face death

A few years ago, 35 pilgrims and I had the privilege of spending almost three days in Lourdes, where, in 1858, the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in Grotto of Massabielle, just a hundred yards away from the Gringe River.
 
There, Our Lady asked Bernadette to relate to the bishop that she wanted a chapel built in her honor. She also communicated a message of repentance which Bernadette passed onto those who were flocking to the site of the apparitions – which lasted almost a year.
 
I find it paradoxical that those who are the last to believe are usually prelates of the institutional Church; however, with the passage of time, many interviews with Bernadette, and recipients of miraculous healings, Rome finally acknowledged that this little hamlet nestled in the foot of the Pyrenees was in fact the site of authentic apparitions of the Blessed Mother, the woman who identified herself as “the Immaculate Conception.”
 
How blessed are we to have a mother, in heaven, who prays for us, who visits us around the world, in Guadalupe (Mexico), in Lourdes (France), in Fatima (Portugal), in Knock (Ireland), just to mention a few of the sites recognized by Rome as valid apparitions. In each and every case, we must remember that Mary appeared, not to draw attention to herself but to draw us closer to the fruit of her womb, Jesus.
 
On August 15, we observed the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Eastern Christian churches, which is to say, the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, they refer to the feast as the “Dormition of Mary.” According to their tradition, Mary, conceived without sin, was spared death; accordingly, she fell asleep and was carried to heaven by Angels.
 
Even this doctrine is in keeping with the belief of Western Christians, defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950, that Mary was conceived without original sin, thus, she was exempt from one of the four consequences of original sin, which we have to deal with since, at this stage of the Redemption, it has not been removed, namely, physical death.
 
As such, the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed, body and soul, to heaven. While Christians of the East or those of the West disagree on certain doctrines, such as the primacy of Rome, Papal Infallibility, marriage annulments and the number of actual sacraments, all Christians, Latin or Greek, concur that Mary went to Heaven without dying.

So, why is this Feast so important for us? The Assumption is a sign of hope to all of us that Heaven can one day be ours. Think back to one of the first questions of the Baltimore Catechism: “Why did God create us?” And the answer which many of us had to memorize was: “God created us to know, love and serve him and to be happy with him forever in heaven.”
 
There’s only once catch: to enter Heaven, we have to be in a state of grace. And the Church teaches that there is no way to know if we are in a state of grace, but we can know if we are in sin, by examining our conscience and, asking ourselves if we offended God or neighbor, by act or omission. And should we find that we are in sin, then we should get to Confession as soon as possible where Jesus, through the vehicle of a priest, will remove the sin, reconcile us to God and the Church and restore us to a state of grace. And it’s free! And it’s here! And if you can’t make the schedule of Confessions, you can always request an appointment at a time that works for you.
 
Unlike the Blessed Virgin Mary, none of us can enter heaven without undergoing physical death first; however, only God knows when our death will occur. The Assumption, then, is an appeal to being spiritually prepared for the one thing which Mary never had to experience but each of us will. “So, why the emphasis on preparedness?” Even though it’s temporary, the last thing any of us wants, is to find ourselves looking at a sign which reads, “Welcome to Purgatory.” And I don’t mean the ski resort in Durango, Colorado!
 
Father Comandini is coordinator of the Office for Ongoing Faith Formation