Mary did not assume into heaven by her own power but it was by the power and will of God that she was assumed (taken) into heaven, body and soul. We meditate upon this dogma in the fourth glorious mystery of the rosary.
Mary’s assumption into heaven was the perfect gift from God to her because she said yes to his invitation to become the Mother of Jesus. Her unconditional obedience to God, faith in his will and providence, paid off. Mary is the perfect role model for all of us to completely trust in God. She knew that even though she was saying yes to God, she was also saying yes to the suffering, which would come along with it. The possibility of being rejected, the possibility of being ostracised from society but she knew that God will take care of her and he did. At the presentation of Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:35), Simeon, the holy man, prophesied to Mary, “…and a sword will pierce through your own soul also,” pointing to the suffering that Mary would undergo during the passion and death of Jesus; yet Mary did not lose her faith in God, she willfully accepted God’s invitation in full grace and without compromise; her guiding force was the Holy Spirit.
However, although Mary was taken into heaven, this does not mean her role ended but rather it means that she began her newly assigned role i.e being the mother and intercessor for all of God’s children; Jesus expanded her role from being his mother to a mother of all of us. And we can be assured that Mary is always interceding for us, drawing us closer to God.
As Indians, we also have a responsibility to seek her intercession for the welfare of our nation, so that we all experience peace, unity, justice and harmony.
Your Shepherd in Christ,
+Bishop Alwyn Barreto