What began at Mary’s Immaculate Conception was concluded with her Assumption. Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven. It is also known as the Dormition or “falling asleep” in the Eastern Churches. On this day, we remember the time when Mary’s earthly life was completed and was saved from the ravages of bodily decay because of death.
There is, of course, no direct basis in scripture for Mary’s Assumption; there are however, passages from the Psalms, Song of Songs et al. and the Book of Revelation that foreshadow Mary’s assumption. The Assumption, originally called, the “Memory of Mary” has been celebrated as a solemn feast on August 15 since ancient times. The feast was celebrated first in Palestine, and then the emperor extended it to all the churches in the East. Finally, in the seventh century, it began to be celebrated in Rome. Soon the name was changed to the "Assumption of Mary," since it declared that she had been taken up, body and soul, into heaven.
The belief was ancient, dating back to the apostles themselves. What was clear from the beginning was that there were no relics of Mary to be venerated, and that an empty tomb stood on the edge of Jerusalem near the site of her death. That location also soon became a place of pilgrimage, today the Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition of Mary, stands on the spot.
At the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, when bishops from throughout the Mediterranean world gathered in Constantinople, the Emperor Marcian asked the Patriarch of Jerusalem to bring the relics of Mary to Constantinople to be enshrined in the capitol. The patriarch explained to the emperor that there were no relics of Mary in Jerusalem, that "Mary had died in the presence of the apostles; but her tomb, when opened later . . . was found empty and so the apostles concluded that the body was taken up into heaven."
In the eighth century, St. John Damascene was known for giving sermons at the holy shrines in Jerusalem. At the Tomb of Mary, he expressed the belief of the Church: "Although the body was duly buried, it did not remain in the state of death, neither was it dissolved by decay. . . . You were transferred to your heavenly home, O Lady, Queen and Mother of God in truth."
The bodily corruption of death was not God’s original plan. It came into the world through Adam’s sin. So it is fitting that Mary who knew no sin should know any decay or a delay in enjoying the joy of Heaven. The Assumption is God's crowning of His work as Mary ends her earthly life and enters eternity.
The feast days of the Church are not just the commemoration of past historical events; they do not look only to the past. They look at the present and to the future and give us an insight into our own relationship with God. The Assumption looks to eternity and gives us hope, if we, like Mary, accept and follow God’s Will, and are faithful to our Lord, then heaven awaits.
Also, on this day is the Blessing of the Seas, and all those who enter the water on this day receives the cure. Many of the parishes along the shore go in procession to the ocean and bless the waters and toss garlands of flowers into the sea. The blessed waters are believed to also bring healing for those most in need.
Have a blessed Assumption Sunday, and if you can, jump into the ocean!
St. Augustine's, OCNJ, Assumption Mass procession to bless the waters.