Homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, 2021. Readings: Revelation 11:19-12:10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Gospel of St. Luke 1:39-56. Theme: Jesus Living in Mary...and Us!
A very interesting scientific study released in 2012 can help us approach the great event of the Assumption of Mary, body and soul into heaven, from a very amazing point of view. In addition to pondering this mystery from the Bible or theology or spirituality, we now also have science adding its “two cents” as to why the Assumption of the Mother of God can make sense. We all know that a unique bond unites a mother and child like no other type of relationship. And this is what we have always used as our starting point when dealing with the Assumption of Mary. She is Mother of God. Immaculate. All-holy. She carried the Lord of the universe within her womb. Thus, we reason, it makes sense that she should be raised body and soul into heaven ahead of the rest of us.
And now science also offers us the opportunity to reaffirm this maternal reason for Mary’s Assumption. Did you know that recent scientific studies have shown that mother and child share each other’s cells from the first days of life in the womb? As early as the second week of pregnancy, before a woman even knows she is certainly pregnant, there is a two-way flow of cells and DNA between the child and the mother. Cells containing DNA from the baby enter the mother’s blood circulation, while cells from the mother cross in the opposite direction and transfer into the child.
And here’s the newly discovered amazing part: a good number of the baby’s cells persist, thrive, and actually become a part of the mother. This throws a whole new light upon the maternal relationship and shows us that a woman is so much more than simply a carrier or vehicle for a baby. Even if she is not the natural biological mother, but simply a surrogate for another, she becomes physically, genetically, forever one with the baby in her womb. So it is fair to say that in this sense, a mother carries her children within her for a lifetime and not just for 9 months!
Now, let’s apply that scientific finding to Mary and Jesus. It means that the Blessed Mother didn’t just carry Jesus within her womb for 9 months, but she continued to carry and have Jesus truly physically present within her by means of the cells of his Divine Humanity for her entire life! Mary was literally a walking, breathing, Tabernacle of the Lord’s Body and Blood. Now, it seems to me that if we hold that Jesus’ crucified body could not remain in the grave and undergo corruption, but was raised up in Resurrection and glorified at his Ascension, it makes sense that Mary, having within her the very Presence of her Divine Son, should also be raised up from the tomb body and soul and experience her Assumption.
And as I see it, this leads to an awesome conclusion for each one of us. Through our faithful, devout and regular reception of the Eucharist we, too, become one with the Risen Lord Jesus. By means of this holy sacrament, his Body and Blood enter into us and become part of us. And like Mary, this will lead us to our own resurrection from the dead and reunification with glorified bodies as we profess in the Creed each Sunday. Jesus himself told us this when he spoke the words we have been hearing from the 6th chapter of St John’s Gospel these past few Sundays: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” (Jn 6:53-54)
So you see, the Assumption of Mary tells us the rest of our own story on planet Earth. It’s a truth about Mary and about ourselves that is so much more than just a liturgical celebration in August. It’s a truth for dark times and for cold times; a truth for times when we feel defeated and for times when we wonder if things will ever get better. The Assumption of our Blessed Mother shows us that there is a seed of immortality growing within us, planted by the Eucharist and waiting to blossom at the right time. The Assumption assures us that the immortality we are hoping for is not a ghostly life, where we exist as spirits floating around for eternity, but it’s an actual glorious physical life in a real place called the Kingdom of Heaven where we will live forever, body and soul, with Jesus, Mary and all the saints.
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