15 August 2021
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
One of the great discussion points between Catholics and Protestants has been the role of Mary in salvation history and how, theologically, we understand this role, especially a theology that is based on scripture. Theology, basically understood, is a logical extension of a truth of faith. For example, we “do” theology when we begin with a starting point such as the article of faith stating that Jesus’ nature as being both human and divine. Now nowhere in the bible does it say “Mary was the mother of God.” Instead, the gospel writers note that Jesus was born of Mary. Therefore, if we hold that Mary gave birth to Jesus in his humanity and divinity, by logical extension one can reason to the fact that Mary can be referred to as the mother of God without an offense to either faith or reason. The consequences of this reasoning were both debated and affirmed at the council of Ephesus in 431, a Council which has the affirmation of all Christian churches. It is on this belief, that Mary is the mother of Jesus in his humanity and divinity and that she freely consented to this action of God in her life, that all theology flows concerning Mary’s role in the church and why she is an object of devotion. The feast of the Assumption draws from an abundance of scriptural references and one of them comes from today’s second reading from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. In this letter he states that
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the first fruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ.
If we recall from the reading of scripture, Mary gave birth to Jesus in his divinity. It was her flesh that also played an instrumental role in the incarnation and it would certainly make sense that the proper order of those who would be brought to life in Christ would be that woman who supplied the flesh by which we are saved. What is described by Paul, the calling of all in Christ in proper order, is the event we celebrate today. The magnitude of this theological truth bears some consideration. Taking as inspiration that the Assumption falls on a Sunday, the essays this week will consider how these readings reflect the theological truths the church has identified concerning Mary throughout the centuries.