Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (2019)

God does give us this amazing Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary as our preview of where we are going one day. We know, that where Mary went when she left this world, is exactly where we want to go, eventually, after we leave this world.  We want to be with her in Heaven. We want to be with God, and His Angels and Saints! Where Mary was assumed to is exactly what Jesus has promised us. This Feast Day then becomes a great preview for all of us, of what are future holds, a very good future, if we stick with Christ! If we do our best avoiding sin.  If we love Him, and serve Him, and follow Him in this life. Even though it happened a little differently for Mary, Jesus was the source of salvation for this holy woman also. Just like us, Mary was given a promise, a promise, of incredible things if only she would obey and trust God.  What we celebrate today on this Feast Day, is God’s fulfillment of His promise to Mary. At the end of her life, she who had been kept safe from sin from her first moment of conception in St. Ann’s womb, did not pay the price for sin which is death. Instead, Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven to receive her promised reward, the same reward, by the way, that has been promised to us.  Heaven is not just for sinless virgins.  And Heaven is not just for perfect people. And Heaven is not just for founders of religious orders or martyrs, or Church doctors. Heaven is for all of us! This Feast Day is to inspire all of us to follow Jesus even more closely, so that we are following His Way straight home to Heaven.  We are going to want to be there, in that number, as the old, great song goes. The only question today is, what we doing about it? We save and sacrifice all the time for our vacations and trips. What are you doing to get safely home to Heaven?  May Mary’s trip home inspire all of us to long for Heaven that much more! We might get excited about going on a trip, or a cruise, or even doing something new and different, and yet, how much more excited should all of us be, for Heaven! • AE