Mary Assumed into Heaven

The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was taken up body and soul into heaven after her death. Although the formal definition was not made until 1950 by Pope Pius XII, this belief in Mary's Assumption dates back to the apostolic age.

There is no explicit statement in the New Testament that proclaims Mary's Assumption. This is not surprising because it is likely that most of the New Testament was written before Mary was assumed. Although if one looks in the book of Revelation she is described as being in heaven. "A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head." (Rev 12:1). Scholars throughout the ages have interpreted this passage as referring to Mary’s assumption.

The Bible gives three instances of people being assumed into heaven. The first example is Enoch. "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him" (Gen 5:24). St. Paul tells us in (Heb 11:5) that Enoch did not experience death and he was not found, because God had taken him. The prophet Elijah is our second case history. "As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. " (2 Kgs 2:11). Moses is our third and final example of assumption. We are told in the (Deut 34:6) that Moses was buried but no one has ever known the location. Next, Michael,the archangel, contended with the devil for the body of Moses (Jude 9), and last Moses appeared with Christ during the transfiguration. "Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him" (Mt 17:3). The Biblical evidence is overwhelming that holy people have been assumed into heaven.

So don't you think that Mary, the favorite daughter of the Father, the spouse of the Holy Spirit, and the Mother of God would have been worthy of being assumed into heaven? The answer is a resounding yes! Mary experienced the fruits Jesus' redemption and was bodily assumed into heaven by our Lord, and we Catholics celebrate this glories event every year on August 15th.