The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This great and wonderful solemnity, of the assumption if Mary, has no basis in the cannon of the scriptures adopted and codified in our Bible. However, from the very earliest days of the Christian church the ‘dormitory of Mary’ as it is known in the eastern church, was popularly accepted and believed, for how could the woman who carried our Lord and Saviour into this world not be so honoured? At the beginning of the 20th Century this popular belief, which had stood the test of time having been first written about in the 6th century, was examined but the Pope. After consulting the bishops of the world, he declared the assumption to be part of the ancient and authentic belief of the church. Did anyone say the church sometimes moves a little slowly!

In our own imperfect ways we too are carriers of our Lord, for we are in communion with him. We too will in the fullness of time be assumed, Body and Soul, into the eternal glory which is heaven! Meanwhile we can rightly rejoice in the perfect woman who simply said ‘yes’ to God and thus permitted our salvation.