We are body and spirit. Our soul organizes our body and vivifies it, whereas our body communicates to some degree our spirit through thoughts, words and actions. It is for this reason God the Son became incarnate, to redeem both our body and soul. Jesus Christ is the invisible God who has become visible in human form, and he has saved us by offering his sacred body at the Last Supper, and then on the Altar of the Cross.
The manifestation that we are saved both in body and spirit is the sacred event of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, being Assumed into heaven, body and soul. We celebrate this solemnity every August 15.
The Assumption of Mary is an ancient and treasured doctrine that came under scrutiny and doubt, so Pope Pius XII raised this doctrine to the highest level, proclaiming it to be a dogma on November 1, 1950, in his Apostolic Constitution entitled “Munificentissimus Deus” which means, “The most bountiful God” which is the phrase that begins his sacred letter to the world.
The salient point of this dogma is thus: “the Immaculate Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven.” She lives in perfect and full communion in her historical personality with her Risen Son and Savior, Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. We hope, pray and serve with faith
and love, in order to do the same on the last day.
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