THE DOGMA OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Introduction

The Christian faith teaches the truth that we are all created not for eternal damnation, but for eternal bliss beyond the reach of earthly misery. Today, we celebrate with faith and devotion the Solemnity of the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its history goes back to the beginning of the Church. The belief that Mary was assumed into heaven is ancient, dating back to the apostles themselves. It is a very old feast of the Church, celebrated universally by the sixth century.

Council of Chalcedon

At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 the emperor Marcian asked the Patriarch of Jerusalem to bring the relics of Mary to Constantinople to be enshrined there. The Patriarch explained to the Emperor that there were no relics of Mary in Jerusalem, that ‘Mary had died in the presence of the apostles; but her tomb, when opened later… was found empty and so the apostles concluded that the body was taken up into heaven.

In the eighth century, St. John Damascene preached: ‘Although the body was duly buried, it did not remain in the  state of death, neither was it dissolved by decay… You were transferred to your heavenly home, O Lady, Queen and Mother of God in truth.’ Mary’s empty tomb on the edge of Jerusalem, near the place where she died, soon became a place of pilgrimage. The Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition of Mary stands on the spot today.[1]

Definition and Declaration of the Dogma of the Assumption

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven at the end of her earthly life is defined Dogma of the Catholic Church on November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII, exercising Papal infallibility, declared in Munificentissimus Deus ‘that it is the dogma of the Church ‘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.’ As a dogma, the Assumption is  a required belief of all Catholics; anyone who publicly dissents from the dogma, Pope Pius declared, ‘has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.’[2]

The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these. (CCC 88)[3]The

In the text explaining the definition of the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Pius XII states: ‘In order that this, our definition of the bodily Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven may be brought to the attention of the universal Church, we desire that this, our Apostolic Letter, should stand for perpetual remembrance, commanding that written copies of it, or even printed copies, signed by the hand of any public notary and bearing the seal of a person constituted in ecclesiastical dignity, should be accorded by all men the same reception they would give to this present letter, were it tendered or shown. It is forbidden to any man to change this, our declaration, pronouncement, and definition or, by rash attempt, to oppose and counter it. If any man should presume to make such an attempt, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.’[4]

What is a Dogma?

Dogma is a truth that:

ü  Pertains to faith and morals.

ü  Is revealed by God.

ü  Was transmitted from the Apostles either in Scripture or by tradition.

ü  Is proposed by the Church for acceptance of the faithful.

The difference between Doctrine and Dogma

In general, Doctrine is all Church teaching in matters of faith and morals. Dogma is more narrowly defined as that part of Doctrine which has been divinely revealed and which the Church has formally defined and declared to be believed as revealed.

 

Lessons of the feast of the Assumption

·         Mary’s humble life of faith is crowned in her entry, body and soul into the glory of the resurrection, into the fullness of God’s life. We also have hope in our own destiny.

·         Our faith is rooted in the truth that we too will rise from the dead, body and soul through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ.

·         The Blessed Virgin Mary challenges us to totally say ‘Yes’ to God and place ourselves at the service of God.

·         In her, Salvation is announced and she accepted God’s will. We too must accept God’s will to be blessed. 

·         In her, God’s promises are fulfilled. We too must believe and trust that God’s promises will be fulfill in our lives.

·         She extols God for all He is doing for humanity and teaches us to do same in thanksgiving and surrender. She is a wonderful model for us, because in her: we see a woman of love and faith, prayer and obedience, trust, hope, humility, surrender and Victory.

Conclusion

The feast of the glorious Assumption of Our Lady holds out to us her children, a wonderful invitation to hope in the power of the risen and glorified Christ. Indeed, there is great hope and tremendous consolation in the Assumption message, which invites us to know that like Our Lady, assumed and exalted high above the heavens after the pattern of Her only Son, Jesus Christ, we too are on our way to eternal glory reserved for us by God, and we hope to share with her the inheritance of eternal life if we say “Yes” to God’s love like she did. So she invites us today to follow her steps in Her pilgrimage of faith and deepen our own faith. Mary’s victory over the suffering of this life is a promise of our own victory. We too, like Mary will receive the reward of heaven if we keep steadfast and faithful to God’s will. We ask her maternal intercession as we continue to proclaim with her, the goodness and greatness of God.  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

ENDNOTES

1.       Bible Alive August 2012, p.34.

2.       Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950.

3.       Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 88.

4.       Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950, Nos. 46 & 47.

Rev Fr Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director Media Service Centre Kaduna Nigeria 2013.

 

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[1] Bible Alive August 2012, p.34.

[2] Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950.

 

[3] Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 88.

[4] Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus defining the Dogma of the Assumption, November 1, 1950, Nos. 46 & 47.

 

YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION

‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’ JOHN WESLEY’S RULE

Introduction

Life with the youth is never dull or boring. They are a wonderful gift to humanity and a great force to reckon with as future leaders. They occupy a prominent place in any society. Youth are the foundation of a society.  In fact, God has chosen them from all eternity to be an indispensable part of his divine plan. They are  great agents of transformation which God uses to transfigure His world. It is God’s plan that your life will be honorable, full of good things, favors and blessings. So if it fails or succeed depends on the choices and decisions you make. Deviation from God’s will through pride, criminality, lawlessness, recklessness, carelessness, violence, gangsterism, greed, and unforgiveness are destructive pitfalls that can make life hellish.  However one sees it, the increasing occurrence of acts of violence and lawlessness, including things like hostage-taking of prominent citizens and innocent expatriate oil workers, as well as oil bunkering, arms insurgence, and cultism among the youth portends real and grave danger to our country. It is therefore important for us to be watchful, careful and wise (WCW). Indeed our young people want a century with a great sign of hope and simple justice for all. Therefore, there is an urgent need today in this year of faith, for a mutual recognition and joint action in the task of empowering our young people by cultivating in them positive frame of mind, and good godly values for the interest of tomorrow.

Who are the youth?

The Youth are a group of energetic, vibrant, active and dynamic people. They constitute the productive labor force and are the back-bone, bedrock and life-wire of any society. Youth means freshness and vitality, it signifies growth and maturity, readiness to face trail and struggle, a time of adventure and risk taking, a time of search and discovery of self. They play a significant role in nation building, and so need to cultivate a positive frame of mind and good leadership qualities for the interest of the future. In the past and even today, the youth are coming under increasing pressures and are faced with  crisis of identity, disempowerment, and indiscipline. They have been used by disgruntled and unscrupulous people as instruments of violence, terrorism and destruction. This growing epidemic of youth violence extends beyond our cities into virtually every community. Not only are there more youth killers and destroyers, but more youth and children are getting killed. We observe with great concern that youth under the age bracket of 18 – 40 now account to fifty percent of violence in Nigeria. Yet, a recent random survey I conducted revealed that practically all Nigerian Youth express the desire for a stable and secure future; for wealth and prestige and also to obtain position of leadership, and have a chance to influence the policy of their government. This I think is the time for social engagement of the youth in creative and profitable ventures to enable the recovery of lost dreams and aspirations, and also help them explore the untapped areas of their lives.

Youth Restiveness and Crime

This has become an issue of serious concern and challenge to all Nigerians and even the multinational companies. Youth restiveness has become a problem that has taken its toll in the social, economic and political development of Nigeria. There has been an increase in the occurrence of acts of violence and lawlessness, kidnapping and abduction. Various forms of youth restiveness that are economically, politically, or religiously motivated have existed for a long time. Our country is unfortunately weighed down by ethnic bigotry, religious fanaticism, endemic corruption, political banditry, poverty, ignorance and disease. The recent unrest, insecurity, flashes of threats and violence around the country experienced and brought about by inter/intra political party conflicts, socio-economic agitations, ethno-religious crisis, organized rebellion and outright criminality is repugnant, shameful and disturbing. Media coverage of rising crime rates among young people often highlights such issues as street crimes-  vandalism, school truancy, drug abuse, theft, burglary, assault and rape, gangsterism and armed robbery. In fact, robberies are committed by young people in order to finance drug habits and live luxurious and flamboyant life styles. They are also involved in organized crimes embracing smuggling, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution and large scale theft. Nigeria has witness a growing incidence of fundamentalist and ethnic violence involving educated youth since the beginning of the 1980s. This aggressive behavioral pattern and attitude are a mirror of what they experience in their real environment – frustration, hostility, homelessness, unemployment and problematic circumstances.

Some possible causes of Youth restiveness

The probable causes and sources of youth restiveness ranges from parental neglect, the breakdown of family has left many children without guidance and support, while others are influenced by the rash violent images in music, films and television, bad governance, unemployment, poverty, inequality, injustice, quest for materialism and selfishness, inadequate educational opportunities and resources, love of money and corruption. It is sad to note that while the living standard of our people is deteriorating rapidly, corruption is flourishing. We must refrain from cruelty, oppression and corruption, and stand up for truth, human dignity, freedom, justice and peace in our society. The youth must reject the life of slavery, violence and destruction and the culture of hatred, persecution, discrimination and marginalization. I want to believe that the Boko Haram insurgency in the North, activities of area boys in the South-West, MASSOB in the East, Militant groups in the Niger Delta area are all rooted in the failure of government to deliver basic services, reduce poverty and create employment.

Self-Actualization

Self actualization is all about empowerment. It is a constant process of becoming, discovering, learning, growing maturing, advancing and developing the youth potentials, talents and capabilities for national development. It is the discovery of one’s purpose, gift, and talent and the commitment to give them in service to humankind. Our self-estimation for self-actualization comes from our awareness of our value to our world and the significant contribution we make to life. I agree with Dr. Myles Munroe, who in his book ‘The Spirit of Leadership, Cultivating the Attitudes that Influence Human Action’ said: ‘Every human being came to this planet with a seed of greatness buried in a gift needed by the world’.[1] Our youth need to be empowered by all stakeholders through economic reforms and policies. There should be creation and training schemes for youth empowerment. Parents, teachers, religious leaders and the government have the awesome task of raising, molding and shaping the children and youth under their guidance. If they choose not to, someone or something else will. There is need to understand deeply the major cultural forces and modern trends that shape the character, values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of our youth.

Conclusion

Parenting, tutoring, mentoring is hard work and involves many struggles. There is no doubt that our children and youth are filled with high dreams, hopes, aspirations for the future. But they are facing a new set of choices, questions, expectations, pressures, fears, challenges and problems, in our society which has become more complex, more challenging, and more competitive than ever before. Therefore, understanding today’s youth culture can help us address their issues with intelligence and relevance. Protecting and securing the life of the youth for a better and brighter future is an absolute necessity. Therefore, there is the urgent need for all stakeholders to support parents in their struggle to deal with drug and alcohol abuse, teen sex, violence, internet dangers, self-abuse, and all other complex issues our youth face each and every day. In the quest to discover and accept who they are, the modern youth are looking for answers to significant life’s questions, amidst the conflicting voices, which Parents and teachers must offer with understanding and humility. The government should encourage the youth to use their talents to develop business innovation rather than engage in restiveness, militancy, rebellion and insurgency.

Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director, Media Service Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria 2013.

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[1] Myles Munroe, The Spirit of Leadership, Cultivating the Attitudes that Influence Human Action, WHITAKER HOUSE, USA, 2005, p.99.