marianist.com/donate • 5 Our Own Journey Toward Assumption The Assumption reveals God’s ultimate plan for all the faithful. What happened to Mary at the end of her earthly life will happen to all who persevere in faith — our bodies will be raised and glorified, reunited with our souls in the fullness of resurrection life. When we see Mary assumed into heaven, we see our own future hope made visible. But here’s the challenging truth: the Assump tion of Mary didn't start on the last day of her earthly life. It began at the Annunciation when she said “yes” to God’s plan. It continued through her pondering of things in her heart, her standing at the foot of the cross, and her perseverance with the early Church. Her Assumption into glory was the culmination of a lifetime of saying “yes,” daily fidelity, and sustained trust — even when she didn’t understand. Our journey toward our own resurrection follows the same pattern. Each day presents us with the same choice Mary faced: Will we say “yes” to God’s will, even when it’s difficult? Will we trust when we don’t understand? Will we remain faithful in the small, hidden moments that no one else sees? Living in Light of the Assumption To live with the Assumption in mind means to live with an eternal perspective. It entails rec ognizing that our bodies matter. Mary’s body was assumed into heaven because it mattered — it was the vessel that carried God himself. Our bodies, too, are sacred. How we treat them, what we do with them, the choices we make in the flesh have eternal significance. We are not just souls trapped in bodies; we are embodied souls destined for bodily resurrection. Our daily choices shape our eternal destiny. Just as Mary’s fiat in Nazareth led to her Assumption in glory, our daily decisions — to love when it’s hard, to serve when it’s inconvenient, to forgive when we’ve been wounded, to hope when circumstances suggest despair — these are forming us into the persons we will be for eternity. Suffering is not the end of the story. Mary stood at the cross and received “the sword of sorrow” into her heart. She did not escape suffering. But the Assumption reveals that suffering, united with Christ, leads to glory. Our crosses, our trials, our moments of darkness — when offered to God — become the very path to resurrection. In a world that tells us to settle for immedi ate gratification, fleeting pleasures, and shallow connections, we are made for more. The Question Before Us As we gaze upon Palma Vecchio’s Assumption painting, with Mary ascending in glory sur rounded by light, the question becomes personal: What in my life needs to be “assumed” — that is, taken up and transformed by God’s grace? What fears, what sins, what attachments need to be released so that I can journey toward the glory God has prepared for me? The Assumption of Mary invites us not to admire from a distance, but to follow. Blessed Chaminade reminds us that the Assumption is a mystery of consolation: in it we see God rewarding Mary’s sanctity, which we are called to imitate, and her elevation makes her inter cession all-powerful. He urges us, “Go, my dear, throw yourself into the arms of Mary, if you stand in great need of forgiveness, the two of you will pray for it together, your prayer united with hers will be received most favorably. If miracles are necessary for your salvation, she will ask for them and, as happened at Cana long ago, miracles will be granted to you” (Marian Writings Vol. 1 and 2). The journey toward our own assumption begins today — with one small “yes,” one act of faith, one choice to live for eternity rather than the moment. And when our own earthly journey ends, may we, like Mary, be found ready — not because we were perfect, but because we persevered in saying “yes” to the God who calls us home. ■ Father Michael Chiuri, SM, is a member of the Provincial Council. Father Michael Chiuri, SM FOR A COPY of the Marian Writings by William Joseph Chaminade, visit nacms.org/node/55
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