This article is part of the Marian Mondays Series, a weekly reflection on the mysteries of the rosary by Jonathan Conrad, owner and founder of The Catholic Woodworker. Subscribe to have these reflections and more sent straight to your inbox every week.
The Church teaches that Mary was assumed into heaven and here’s why:
“‘Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.’” (CCC 966)
Mary’s Assumption reminds us that our true home is in heaven and in union with God. Not surprisingly, the fruit of praying this mystery of the rosary is a happy death—a death that leads us to meet Jesus in heaven at the conclusion of our earthly suffering.
Meditating on the Assumption, then, can become a plea for Mary’s help that reflects the words of the Hail Mary prayer: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”
We ask Mary to pray for us during our lives so that we may be continually converted and strengthened to live the life that Christ calls us to. Then we ask her to intercede for us at the hour of our death, so that in those final moments she will fortify us, guarding our souls from hopelessness and despair.
This is especially important because we know that the weeks, days, and hours prior to death are a fierce battle for souls as the enemy tries to claim us for his own one last time. Yet, if we spend our lives praying the rosary, we can have confidence that Mary will be at our side in the end when we’re at our weakest.
This truth is a great consolation both when we contemplate death and when we’re in those places of desolation and discouragement in the here and now. Mary, our Mother, has crushed the head of Satan and she will fight and advocate for us in those final moments in the hopes of reuniting us with her Son after death.
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