The Blessed Virgin Mary.
And there’s a very good reason for that
What Happened to Mary
When you die, your body and soul will separate. Your body will remain here on earth, while your soul goes before God.
Mary was different. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was taken up into Heaven, body and soul together.
That’s what we celebrate on the Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15. It’s so important that the Church makes it a holy day of obligation.
Why That Matters
We think of Heaven as the place where our souls go after death.
That’s true, but it’s not the whole story.
Because every Sunday when we recite the Creed, we say: “I believe in the resurrection of the body.”
Stop and think about that.
We believe Christ will raise our bodies from the dead at the end of time. Your soul and your body will be reunited in Heaven.
And if you just looked at yourself and thought, “Oh man, I’m going to be stuck with THIS body forever,” here’s the thing: Our resurrected bodies will be glorified too!
Mary reminds us of this.
The Assumption means she was taken up into Heaven, body and soul. She’s not waiting for the resurrection of her body. She’s living it now.
That should give us hope. Mary shows us what Christ’s victory over death means for our human lives. When we picture her in Heaven, body and soul, we see the same destiny God has in store for us.
Holy Mary, assumed into Heaven, pray for us!
