A life that is complete

Pope Pius XII pronounced ex cathedra format the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the greatest of all her feasts, on November 1, 1950.

“We pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

“Having completed the course of her earthly life” clearly indicates the intention of leaving open the theological and historical question of whether or not Mary actually experienced death before being taken up into glory. The theological question whether, or how, Mary died and the historical question of where her Assumption happened (Jerusalem or Ephesus?) are both left open.

But the better question could be: When can we be complete in this our earthly life? What can make us complete in our earthly life?

Pope Francis says that our world today is in feverish pursuit for frivolous pleasures. Therefore, we need to reach out to others and seek their good, because life grows when it is given and is weakened in isolation and comfort.

Pope Paul VI once said: “Technological society has succeeded in multiplying the opportunities for pleasure, but it has great difficulty in generating joy.”

We ask for the intercession of Mama Mary to lead us to Jesus who only can complete our life.