The Assumption of Our Lady

Immaculata Magazine ^ | Oct 1980 | Rev. James M. Keane, O.S.M.

[Salvation]

The Assumption of Our Lady

Solemnity of the Assumption

Mary’s Assumption is hope for today’s society, says Pope

Meditations for this Feast Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER ON THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

Why Catholics Believe in the Assumption of Mary

St. John Damascene: Homily 3 on the Assumption/Dormition

St. John Damascene: Homily II on the Assumption/Dormition

St. John Damascene: Homily I on the Assumption/Dormition

Catholic Caucus: The Assumption of Mary - Marcellino D'Ambrosio, PhD

Today's the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven

Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15th.

Maronite Catholic: Qolo (Hymn) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Gregory Palamas: On the Dormition of Our Supremely Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Maronite Catholic: Qolo (Hymn) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Catholic Caucus: A NOVENA OF FASTING AND PRAYERS/ASSUMPTION/DORMITION

The Fourth Glorious Mystery

Archbishop Sheen Today! -- The glorious assumption

The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Reflections For The Feast 2003

The Assumption Of Mary

[pjr12345]

While this posting definitely leans RCC, it seems that the author made some effort to present information. Kudos for that effort.

The first person known to have asked what happened to Mary's body was St. Epiphanius. He was a 4th century Bishop, close to the scene of events,

So the first time anyone bothered about Mary's death was 3 or more CENTURIES after she died. And this is called "close to the scene of events". He's no closer to scene of events than I am to the scene of the American Revolution. In fact, I am closer to those events; should I start claiming to be an expert?

Have you considered WHY nobody worried about figuring out how Mary died for such a long period of time? Could it possibly be that Mary is not central to the Gospel message? Have you considered the timing surrounding the emergence of Mary as akin to a goddess?

There are reasons why the "Assumption" is not in the Bible: (A) Mary is not of critical importance to the Gospel message; and (B) It never happened.

[pjr12345]

3 or more CENTURIES

Should read 2 or more CENTURIES

[tiki]

Gosh, I don’t know. Should I believe a Magisterium going on good, solid Biblical information, using the whole Bible, informed by the Holy Spirit? Or should I listen to a self-named Bible scholar?

[pjr12345]

Could you cite the “good, solid Biblical information” you referenced?

Thanks!

[DieHard the Hunter]

> There is no positive historical data in proof of the historical fact of the Assumption.

If there is no proof then it can hardly be called a fact. At very best The Assumption of the Virgin Mary is an article of Faith amongst Catholics. As St Paul says:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb 11:1)

Faith is a marvelous thing, and none of what I have written is intended to downplay the value that Catholics place in their belief in the Assumption. It is fair, tho', to point out that an article of "Faith" is only somewhat stronger than a matter of "Opinion" and certainly does not rank as equivalent to "Historical Fact", for which there is proof.

St Thomas was able to establish the historical fact of Christ's death and resurrection, by touching Christ's wounds in person: he would not believe otherwise.

Our Lord and Master provided, at that time, a specific blessing for those who would come afterward, and only be able to rely upon Faith rather than first-hand experience.

So, perhaps for Catholics the Assumption can become an even more powerful thing, as it can only be an Article of Faith and therefore would carry a specific blessing from Christ Himself.

For non-Catholics, they miss out on nothing by noting that, for them, there is no "substance of things hoped for" with the Assumption, and thus no need for them to have "Faith" in this particular matter. For them it is neither Fact nor Faith, merely a matter of Opinion or at worst a Fable.

Me, I am undecided on this matter.

[markomalley]

I can respect your position on the issue:

Me, I am undecided on this matter.

I wish more people who were Sola Scriptura (the scriptures alone) took that kind of attitude. Because I believe that the attitude you reflect through that comment truly display an attitude of "where the scriptures are silent, I must be silent" philosophy.

God Bless!

[A.A. Cunningham]

After that, however, Protestants and Catholics part company,

Not all protestants. Luther believed in the Assumption as well, although he stopped short of agreeing that it was an article of faith. Luther prayed the rosary and was quite devoted to the Blessed Mother as detailed in his many sermons and writings on the topic.

[Kolokotronis]

Not a bad explication at all, though as another posted, from a distinctly Roman pov, which is unfortunate since the Holy Tradition of the Assumption is purely Eastern in origin. By the time the doctrine got going in the West, the Feast of the Dormition of the The Most Holy Theotokos was well established east of the Adriatic. In Orthodoxy, the bodily Assumption is not dogmatically proclaimed but rather it is theologoumennon, a pious belief which it is permissible to hold. As I have posted elsewhere, I know of no Orthodox person who does not hold that belief. Below is the icon of the Dormition and the Apolytikion, Kontakion and Synaxarion of the Feast (August 15th). Note that Christ is holding the soul of His mother.

Apolytikion in the First Tone

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life.

Synaxarion:

Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God. With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens. These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> God Bless!

Thankyou, and God Bless you too, Brother.

Amen, so mote it be
*DieHard*

[DieHard the Hunter]

5 Solas Ping, Marine!

I learn by doing. This is a great thread with plenty of potential for intelligent and stimulating discussion. A really neat subject worthy of consideration.

Semper Fi and God Bless
DieHard

[narses]

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[Northern Yankee]

Great Read!

If I ever meet up with you guys, the first round's on me!

Semper Fi!

[DieHard the Hunter]

> If I ever meet up with you guys, the first round’s on me!

Likewise, FRiend!

*DieHard*

[Tax-chick]

If there is no proof then it can hardly be called a fact.

A "fact" is a statement of concrete information, which must be either true or false. Whether the information is true or false, or can be determined true or false by available means, is not relevant to the "fact" designation.

In the case of the Assumption, either the body of the Virgin Mary was taken up to Heaven, or it wasn't. Therefore, the Assumption is a fact.

[trisham]

Mary's Immaculate Body was, in a sense, the origin of sanctification of all mankind. Her flesh was used to form the flesh of her Son; the flesh which he used on the Cross to destroy death and sin, and which he gave to us that we might rise from the dead. Was this flesh, Mary's flesh, Christ's flesh, the instrument of our redemption and resurrection, to be subject to the corruption of the grave?

****************

How much our Lord must love Mary.

[KenTone]

So, perhaps for Catholics the Assumption can become an even more powerful thing, as it can only be an Article of Faith and therefore would carry a specific blessing from Christ Himself.

The bodily ascension of Mary is not in the scriptures !!

Nice going. You have used your own personal wisdom and personal philosophy to grant every pagan and heathen who invents anything in their own mind, and has faith in it then Jesus will bless it.

To think Jesus would bless every false doctrine just because a person has "faith" in it contradicts God. and shows a mishandling of God’s word. Unfortunately your kindness is based on a liberal view of the Bible.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> The bodily ascension of Mary is not in the scriptures !!

No, it is not — you are correct. In fact, I think I made that point when I challenged the use of the term “historical fact”.

> Nice going. You have used your own personal wisdom and personal philosophy to grant every pagan and heathen who invents anything in their own mind, and has faith in it then Jesus will bless it.

I’m certainly not in a position to “grant” anybody anything so far as Jesus blessing goes. Equally, I’m not about to go calling the Assumption of the Virgin Mary “False Doctrine” nor am I about to slag off the Roman Catholic Faith as “False Doctrine”, nor insult Roman Catholics by calling them Pagans and Heathens.

If you don’t like Catholics, then that is your problem, mate, not mine.

> Unfortunately your kindness is based on a liberal view of the Bible.

I think you should spend less time calling people names: it’s un-Christian. Just because you don’t agree with someone is no license to call them “Pagans” or “Heathens” or “Liberal”. That betrays an intolerance that is unseemly.

My “liberal” view of the Bible is based upon long and difficult attempts at reconciling what I know to be true with what I believe must be so. Evolution, the universal flood, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther for example.

And my application of St Paul, in this case, was quite appropriate — otherwise, what did he mean?

[DieHard the Hunter]

> In the case of the Assumption, either the body of the Virgin Mary was taken up to Heaven, or it wasn’t. Therefore, the Assumption is a fact.

In which case, I challenge you to prove that “fact”. Because all facts can be proven.