It is interesting that God did not raise up man and make him a God to be saved like the myths of old but God lowered himself to become like us a human being in Mary to bring about his plan of salvation.
There is no honor given to any human being like the honor given to Mary, that her body and soul, that is Mary herself, becomes intimately united with God even while the world is still existing. If the body of Mary is also the body of Christ and Christ is sinless, then it is logical that the body of Mary should not see corruption just as the body of Christ did not see corruption for Mary too is sinless. It is the same flesh. This is all fine and logical but many objections can still be raised , as was raised then, against the assumption.
To really appreciate the Assumption one must look at it from the point of view of God’s love for human beings as we see in Scriptures. His first attempt to create the first human beings who would love and serve him faithfully in freedom. He was disappointed. Then He raised up among them patriarchs, judges, priest and leaders who might serve Him with all their hearts and mind but mostly they failed Him…. even the great David and Solomon the apple of his eye.
His patience throughout those millennia bore fruit when from a lowly woman in an insignificant village the Lord God found His true love still very much of the human line, Mary. Remember Abraham bargaining with God not to destroy the town of Sodom and Gemorrah if he could find finally at the end even one just man. In our sinful world today, we could be like Abraham and ask God to spare sinners. Those who believe in God’s love will know right away the answer. God already did find someone after his own heart. He will do everything to save sinners through Mary the refuge of sinners.
With this honor and glory Mary does not forget the reality of everyday human life. After the message of Gabriel she goes to help her cousin Elizabeth. She was worried about the safety of her son, she was worried when he was growing up about the strange power he had and the mission he claims to have from God. She agonized at the cross with her Son. To be very close to God, to be much loved by God does not mean we are exempt from suffering. On the contrary one is close to suffering for the sake of others. It was completre trust in God that carried Mary through all her sufferings in life. It was through her obedience that she has become our intercessor when we have difficulties in life. She will not take away our sufferings but she will make us strong to carry them. As she carried the lifeless body of her son in her lap.The Assumption points to a promise of God given to all of us when she gave Mary as our Mother.
But of course the Assumption of Mary is unique in the sense that she joined her Son in heaven body and soul even before the Parousia. Hail full of grace was the greeting of the angel not Hail Mary full of grace. The significance of this is that it defines who Mary is in her very person, in her very being. She was the work of God par excellence. In this way we cannot compare our going to heaven like Mary. Mary was forever present in God. Therefore in reality we cannot apply death to her as human beings experience it nor for that matter that the death of Jesus does not have a qualitative difference compared to our death. Our death is due to sin. However theologians call it, dormition or death, or passage, the fact remains that the assumption of Mary is in the realm of grace, an act of love of God and not the process of punishment and redemption. From the human realm stands a woman in whom God is enamored and would do everything to honor her. God’s will was her will absolutely. She personified how God wanted his people of old to relate towards him. In filial love, in faithfulness. In her, the image of a perfect gracious woman has been recovered since Eve fell. She is the femininity of God. She is God’s love in perfect human form. She has lived a perfect human life. She has to be assumed into heaven for there is nothing in her that would prevent an Assumption. It would be bad form not to honor one’s mother. With God that is unthinkable. He would not be God.