Dearest friends, it was on November 1, 1950, in the Apostolic Constitution ‘Munificentissimus Deus’ (The Most Bountiful God), that Pope Pius XII declared the ASSUMPTION of the Blessed Virgin Mary a dogma in the following words:
“… after we have poured forth prayers of supplication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of Almighty God who has lavished his special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church; by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith” (Cf.‘Munificentissimus Deus’, nn. 44-45).
Let us remember that the Pope, as the successor of St. Peter, cannot err when he teaches about Faith or Morals (Cf. CCC, n. 891).
Apart from the infallibility of the Pope, we have some biblical supports of this solemnity. For example, Psalm 132:8 affirms: “Arise, O Lord, into your rest; you, and the ark of your strength”. In the above passage, the *’ARK’* refers to the Virgin Mary, who is the *’ARK of the New Covenant’* because God preserved the Word (Jesus Christ) in her womb. Thus, the biblical passage suggests that our Lord Jesus Christ assumed the body and soul of his mother Mary into heaven, to dwell with him eternally. Hence, *the Lord will not allow his loved one to decay* (Cf. Ps 16:10).
Furthermore, in the New Testament, we will recall that after Jesus entrusted his mother, Mary to the care of the Apostle John (Cf. Jn 19:26-27), John never told us what happened to her later, instead, he promises to tell us in his words, thus:
*”There are several things I have to tell you, but I have thought it best not to trust it to paper and ink. I hope instead to visit you and talk to you personally so that our JOY may be complete”* (Cf. 2 Jn 1:12).
Consequently, in order to always escape the daily threats of the ancient *DRAGON*, i.e, the devil (Cf. Rev 12:1-17), as children of Mary, we must always hide under her maternal mantle through sincere devotional practices towards her *(Praying the #ROSARY daily as the foremost).* We can always be sure that each time we run to her, she would never fail to take us to his beloved son, Jesus Christ, who would make sure that we share in his victory over death (Cf. 1 Cor 15:20-26).
Please, do not forget that we actually *celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, not as a SUPER BEING but as a HUMBLE CREATURE in whom the GRACE of God triumphed EXCEEDINGLY.*
Therefore, let us join the Universal Church in celebrating this grace-filled Solemnity by observing it as a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION, Praying our ROSARY, and joining in a Eucharistic celebration.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for us always. Amen🙏🏼
Happy solemnity and remain blessed!
(Cf. CATECHESIS ‘NKUZI NKE OKWUKWE’ FOR THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY;
READINGS: R1: Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a.10b, R2: 1 Cor 15:20-27, Gosp. Lk 1:39-56)