The Mother & Son Connection

Homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, 2023. The Gospel of St. Luke 1:39-56. Theme: The Mother & Son Connection

The Assumption of Mary into Heaven is tied intimately to the fact that when the Word (Son) of God became flesh as St John tells us in his Gospel, it was Mary’s ”yes” to God that made this event possible.  She was totally free to say “no” to God’s plan as revealed to her by an angel at the Annunciation. But she didn’t and we are infinitely better off because of it!  Since she carried the Lord of the universe within her womb, nursed Him at her breast, and formed Him as He grew, we reason that it makes sense that she should be raised up body and soul into heaven.  And we can see how it makes sense that her resurrection from the dead should happen ahead of our own, for she was the first and all-holy disciple of her Son.

But now science offers us the opportunity to take a new look at the maternal reason we give for Mary’s Assumption. Did you know that scientific research done in 2012 has 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 there is a two-way flow of cells and DNA between the child and the mother.  But here’s the newly discovered and amazing part: a good number of the baby’s cells persist, thrive, and actually become a permanent part of the mother. This throws a whole new light on the maternal relationship.  It shows us that a woman is so much more than simply a carrier or a vehicle for a baby.  So it’s fair to say that, in a certain 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 the relationship between 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 living  Tabernacle of the Lord’s Body and Blood. Now, it seems to me that since Jesus did not remain in the grave and undergo corruption, but was raised up at the Resurrection and returned to Heaven at the Ascension, so it also makes sense that Mary, having the Presence of her Divine Son always within her at the cellular level, should also be raised up body and soul and experience her Assumption. It’s Jesus-living-in-her that makes this wondrous event possible!

And as I see it,  this leads to an awesome conclusion for each one of us. Through our faithful and intentional 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 thus become part of us.  And like Mary, this will lead us to our own resurrection from the dead as we profess in the Creed each Sunday. Jesus himself told us about the connection between Eucharist and Resurrection in the 6th chapter of St John’s Gospel: “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 can speak to us about the rest of our own story on planet Earth. It reminds us that there is a seed of immortality growing within us planted by the Eucharist and waiting to blossom at the proper time. The Assumption assures us that this immortality is not a ghostly life where we exist as  spirits floating around for eternity. But it’s actually a glorious life in a real place called Heaven where we will live forever, in body and soul, with Jesus, Mary and all our loved ones who have gone before us marked with the Sign of Faith.