The Assumption of Mary

 

August 15th in the Western Catholic tradition is considered to be the festival of the Assumption of Mary. In the Anglican tradition, it is considered to be a devotional focus, but no formal dogma exists. In the Eastern and Orthodox tradition, the festival is at the end of August. 

Some traditions call it the Solemnity of The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, others call it the Dormition of The Virgin Mary. This commemoration has quite a history and is steeped in what many call the Apocryphal texts. 

From the beginning of the Christian movement, there were intense debates, theories and essentially confusion about the Christ impulse. For many, it was simply incomprehensible as to how a god could come to earth to be a human and live a mortal life. Why would a god, any god, but particularly the creator of the universe choose to inhabit a mortal body and suffer a public execution? This debate and confusion extended to the parentage of Jesus. What about that virgin birth thing, and also who was Joseph, and who or what was Mary?

How could a mortal human give birth to a god?

Many of the Apocryphal books of the Bible as well as books that were not included in the Canon we have today, try to explain the phenomena of Christ Jesus coming to earth and experiencing a human body as well as life. The Proto Gospel of James, The Dormition of the Virgin, and The Gospel of Bartholomew are just a few of the ancient texts trying to explain away the mystery of the Virgin Mary.

In the 5th Century, the Dogma of the Virgin as "God Bearer" became accepted  Christian theology. But what happened to Mary when she died was controversial in the Western Catholic tradition until 1950, when Pope Pius XII declared that the Virgin Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven upon her death.

At the heart of the controversy, is trying to make sense of a mystical spiritual event with materialistic reasoning.  The contortions and pretzel bending the ancient texts proclaim regarding where Mary came from, wether or not she was born from an immaculate conception herself, and what happened to her when she died, show the difficulty in trying to rationalize the suprasensible with the material. 

Mary is a mystery, and there is a beauty in this reality. Sometimes, it is OK to not understand something beautiful and good. Emil Bock in his book The Three Mary's says it the best. He points out that in the beginning of the New Testament, we have the image of Mary in the Luke Gospel. She reminds us of where we have been, our innocent paradisiacal beginnings. This is the attraction to Mary, she reminds us on the one hand of what we have lost, but what also is at the center of our being if we can access it. Bock goes on to remind us that at the end of the New Testament, we read about The Virgin of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation. This Virgin reminds us of what we are to become. 

As an artistic image, Mary is a symbol of the highest potential of the human soul. I think this is part of the mystery behind the Assumption of Mary, that the human soul, the essence of who we are, is infinite and everlasting. That our spirits as well, will ascend at the moment of our deaths. The word "Dormition" is considered "sleep" and the relinquishing of our bodies when we pass as going to sleep, is an image we should embrace and not fear. 

The images of the Dormition, especially in ancient Christian iconography of the East, shows Mary on her death bed. Above her is Christ who appears to be holding a baby. This is symbolic of Christ escorting Mary's soul to heaven. It is the completion of the arc of the Nativity images where Mary kneels before the infant Jesus who has come to earth.

 Assumption of Mary by Giotto di Bonone

How ever you perceive the Mary Mystery, you are invited to perceive it as a loving gesture towards human kind.

Blessings on your journey!