Today’s feast goes by a unique title and it has a unique meaning as well.
Obviously, the feast of the Assumption is not about a presumption or something that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
Rather the feast of the Assumption is about Mary taking her place in heaven, body and soul, and it is a privilege bestowed upon her by God.
This feast confirms the belief since the earliest times of the Church that Mary was taken up, or assumed, into heaven by the gracious act of God.
Just as the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus conquered sin and death and opened up heaven for our inheritance, Mary is the first to receive this reward through the merits of Jesus Christ.
And what Mary has received, that too is to be our eternal reward.
As the mother of Jesus Christ, she received this reward because she said “Yes” at the Annunciation, and continued to say “Yes” to God.
And as our Mother, Mary also wants to share this reward with us.
In the gospel, she states the one thing necessary for us to attain this reward – humility.
It is with humility that we will experience the mercy of God who will come to our help as we strive to do God’s will.
It is with humility that our lives will proclaim the greatness of the Lord and exult in God our Saviour.
It is with humility that we will realise how useless and futile it is to be proud, to be selfish, to be conceited, to be arrogant and to be too confident at our own abilities and resources and not being dependent on God.
Ultimately, it is with humility and with the mercy of God that we will resist the temptation to sin, so as not to forfeit the eternal reward from God.
So in celebrating the feast of the Assumption, we join Mary to glorify God our Saviour as we set our hearts to be with God in heaven.
At the same time, we renew our devotion to Mary our Mother and to follow her in doing God’s will so that God in turn will do great things for us.