The Assumption
Fra Angelico (c. 1430)
This Friday, August 15, we will celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—a feast full of hope for every Catholic mother. The Church teaches in the Catechism that “the Immaculate Virgin… was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was finished, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things” (CCC 966). This is not only a truth about Mary; it is a promise to us of what God intends for all who love Him.
St. John Damascene, a Doctor of the Church, called the Assumption “the crowning of Mary’s privileges.” She was preserved from sin, filled with grace, faithful through every trial, and so she now reigns in glory with her Son. For us as mothers, the Assumption shows the end of the road—what the long, hidden years of faithful motherhood are leading toward. It reminds us that the sacrifices we make, often unseen and unpraised, are seen by God and will be rewarded.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux once said, “The Blessed Virgin is more Mother than Queen.” This is the heart of the Assumption for us. Mary’s glory in Heaven does not make her distant. She is our Mother still, closer now than she was in Nazareth. She knows what it is to rise early to serve a family, to work with her hands, to guard her heart in prayer when days are long and uncertain. As homeschooling mothers, we can ask her to help us persevere in these same hidden labors, with the hope that they, too, are part of God’s path to glory.
The Assumption also calls us to lift our eyes above the dust and laundry of our days. St. Augustine reminds us that “we are but pilgrims here.” Our homes, meals, and lessons are important because they form eternal souls for Heaven, but they are not the final goal. Mary’s life was not measured by her visible accomplishments, but by her complete surrender to God’s will. We can imitate her by offering every lesson taught, every meal prepared, and every correction given as an act of love to God.
After this feast passes, take something of it with you. When you feel buried under the weight of ordinary duties, remember Mary’s body and soul in Heaven. Let it lift your heart to hope for the joy prepared for you. When your children watch you pray, study, and serve faithfully, you are showing them the way to join you there. In the Assumption, we see not only Mary’s triumph, but also our destiny in Christ.
