The Second Reading teaches us, regarding the resurrection: "But each is his own order; Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." (1 Cor 15: 23) Today's feast recognizes that, in the order of the resurrection, Our Lady, her Son excluded, takes priority ahead of all other human beings. In fact, she shares now fully in the resurrection where the human body is glorified, and shares in the same resurrected state as the Lord. How does this happen? In my opinion, it is fitting that the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (1854) was proclaimed ahead of that of the Assumption (1950). It is because Our Lady was free from sin, both original and personal, that the corruption of death did not touch her body. We speak not of her death but the "dormition," that is, the falling asleep of Our Lady. In other words, the curse: "... you are dust and unto dust you will return" (Gen 3: 19), spoken to Adam and Eve due to their disobedience after believing the lies of the Serpent: "You will not die" (Gen 3: 4), does not affect her. St Paul tells us "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rm 6: 23) This privilege was not solely for her benefit but also for the rest of the Church so that our own hope of resurrection and ultimate glory would be strengthened. We hear in the Preface for the solemnity: "For today the Virgin Mother of God was assumed into heaven as the beginning and image of your Church's coming to perfection and a sign of sure hope and comfort of your pilgrim people; rightly you would not allow her to see the corruption of the tomb since from her own body she marvelously brought forth your incarnate Son, the Author of all life." (Roman Missal, Preface for the Assumption of the BVM)
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