Nine days after the Transfiguration of the Lord, we have the Solemnity of the Assumption, that is for our community of Redwoods the official date of the foundation, our community Feast. The dogma of the Assumption has no root in the Scriptures; it is deduced from the life of Christ: if Christ is alive in the glory of the Father, Mary who is one flesh with him, should be also. Where Christ is, his Mother should be also. It is why all the readings of the Masses for the Assumption talk about Resurrection.
I played a little with the word Assumption. It comes from the Latin verb: ad-sumere. It is the past participle, assumptum.
We can translate adsumere by “to take on, to take upon, to assume” like we take on a responsibility or a role. Or a vocation.
Mary is taken up into heaven, our antiphon for the Assumption sings. Her Assumption is God’s action. It is not her act, her decision. It is God’s final act towards his Beloved Disciple, his Beloved Mother. The whole life of Mary is “assumed” into God, not only passively because Mary at first had to “assume” everything to reach this “fullness of being” necessary for the Assumption into God.
Her whole life shows that she assumes her own vocation. Her ˆyesˆ in the Annunciation before Christ’s birth, before her pregnancy, this ˆyes ˆ is unfolded in her on-going faith in God-who-keeps-his-promise. She is the example, the figure of the journey of each human being and of humankind. We are the Body of Christ, one flesh with him, inseparable from him. Like Mary we are this dwelling place of God that the Arch of the Covenant foreshadowed. All what is said about Mary involves and enlightens our journey. She is the first one to follow the Way, who is Christ. Our journey is not exactly the same as hers because of our sin, this lack of faith that diminishes our love. But Mary is still with us. She came in this world to give us, to show us – ostende -like we sing in the Salve, the one who bears and takes away our sin.
When God looks at us, He sees Mary, figure of the humankind carrying his Son. Being one with her, we are assumed by God. The Assumption is a prophecy of our future. But this Mystery that we can call our transfiguration is already present in us. It is unfolding.
Following Mary’s steps, let us then answer to God’s call who invites us to assume our lives and then to enter into the communion that each Eucharist celebrates.
Sr. Claire Bouttin, Superior
Chapter talk on Assumption, August 15, 2025 – cycle C
