Assumed into Heaven

Today the Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When her earthly life was completed, Mary was taken upon into heaven body and soul. Mary’s entire life was one that followed and did the will of God. From the moment at the Annunciation when she said, “Let it be done to me according to Your Word,” Mary’s life was one of passivity, in that she allowed God to do whatever He needed to do to bring about the salvation of the world and she fully cooperated. Even upon the last moments of her earthly life, Mary was assumed into heaven. Being assumed is also the language of passivity, it was something done to the person. Mary truly allowed herself to be an instrument of God and His will, from being the Ark that carried the New Covenant to the Mother of His Church.

This passivity is not the same as idleness of indifference. The type of passivity that Mary embodied was one that was at the same time active. In allowing God to use her as an instrument, she needed to say “yes” and also needed to carry out all that God asked of her. It is in the passivity that one finds the means to carry out the will of God in one’s life. In other words, it is only through prayer, first and foremost, that we will be able to live out our calling, carrying out the will of God in our lives. May we, like Mary, embrace this spirit of passivity, rooting ourselves in prayer, in our relationship with God, and allow the Lord to use us as His hands and feet here on earth to shows His love and mercy to all.