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What is the Assumption of the Blessed Mother?
Photo by Darrien Staton on Unsplash
The month of August provides Catholics with one of the most beautiful, in my opinion, expressions of love that a son can show for his mother. How many of us would prevent our parents from dying and enduring death if we had the power? We take medication, change our dietary choices, and do various things our doctors tell us to do that will allow us to live longer and we implore those we love to do the same. We never want to see those we love die. We do not want to stand over caskets and graves. Jesus was just as much human as He was holy. He was just as much of a son as He was the Savior. He had the power to prevent His mother from going through physical death. He did what so many of us wish we could do. He protected His mother from death and took her straight to eternal life with Him.
It is this moment in history that Catholics pause and recognize during the month of August. The assumption is recognized and honored on August 15 (or around that date) each year in the United States, Europe, and South America.
It is important to make a crucial distinction. There is a difference in the Assumption of Mary and the Ascension of Jesus. Both have the same result – a direct route to heaven. The Ascension of Jesus, however, happened because Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Christ. He is Lord and He is God. He did not need any help to physically ascend into heaven after his resurrection.
On the other hand, Mary is not God. She is not the Messiah. She did not have the power, on her own, to go directly to heaven. God called her to eternal glory. He brought her home before she faced physical death. It was by His power and through His power that she never tasted death.
The Assumption is NOT referencing the Nativity and the Annunciation (as our Protestant friends often mistakenly assume). It is a Church feast day that is known by a few different names. It is called the Assumption of the Blessed Mother Mary, the Feast of the Assumption, or the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.
The feast day is the result of Pope Pius XII, in 1950, declaring the theological truth an official dogma of the Catholic Church. The Church officially teaches that Mary, once her time on earth was complete, was brought to heavenly glory without ever dying on earth and experiencing physical death.
The feast is on August 15 and is a holy day of obligation. (or as my bishop says, a holy day of opportunity)
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About the Author
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
