Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, when Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was taken up to heaven, body and soul. This feast has been celebrated for a long time in both the Western and Eastern Traditions. As Catholics, we believe that Mary wholly with the God proclaimed by Mary’s Son is a special case of the Scriptural belief that all Christians have this destiny.
Today’s Gospel contains the beautiful song of praise said or sung everyday at Vespers, the “Magnificat” (vs. 46-55).  This wonderful prayer shows us how God loves the lowly and raises them up, while not caring much for the haughty and conceited.

     Our Lady’s Assumption shows the way we must follow on our road toward heaven: detachment from earthly things, no matter how good, on our flight toward God where the end will be union with God. On the road toward God we must live in purity and total detachment from worldly things. Mary teaches us not to be mesmerized by the fascination of the world but to live among them occupying ourselves with much charity, but without ever letting our heart become attached to them and without ever seeking satisfaction in them.

Can we follow Mary’s example of detaching ourselves from everything but God?