Why the Assumption of Mary into heaven began in the Garden of Eden

The opening of a homily, "From Eden to Eternity", by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers:

Today's magnificent solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven began back in the Garden of Eden. In God's mind from all eternity, when He decided to create beings made in His image and likeness, and fill them with the gift of His life-giving love, it is within a woman's being--within her heart and soul--where His love first established a foundation and home. The spirituality of a woman is rooted in the fact that she is the heart of love and through her special and unique relationship with the Holy Spirit (as one who gives life), a woman is truly the example of what it means to be fully human.

Satan knew this. He realized that if the heart of love were destroyed, that if a wedge were driven between the intimate communion of love and life, everything else in creation would fall. So Satan approached the woman first, intent on destroying her heart and introducing sin and death into the world.

The method of demise Satan employed in the Garden of Eden is the same method he has used successfully century after century, and that he still uses to this day to perpetuate a culture of death: subjective truth. God bestowed free will upon the man and woman mindful of the fact that, in covenant relationship, life-giving communion that is freely given must also be freely accepted and reciprocated. Covenant relationship hinges upon our response to God's invitation to love: a response of complete trust in and obedience to the absolute truth of God's will. Satan lies to the woman convincing her that she need only trust in herself, that truth is whatever she decides it to be ("the tree [not God's truth!] was to be desired to make one wise") and, in deciding truth for herself, she "will be like God, knowing good and evil." Hence, the woman, in rejecting absolute truth, says "no" to God's invitation to covenant intimacy and the heart of love is shattered ("she took of its fruit and ate") while her husband stood by and did nothing.

Read the entire homily:

Comments

[Amos Wang]

"The spirituality of a woman is rooted in the fact that she is the heart of love and through her special and unique relationship with the Holy Spirit (as one who gives life)"

This is inspired. It's at the heart of abortion, contraception, sexual freedom, premarital sex, adultery, and divorce. In the past, women knew all these were wrong and man followed (though sometimes reluctantly). Now, women are taught that all these are good and man followed, as Adam followed Eve. Attack the man, and the man falls and woman suffers but does not fall, but attack the woman and man follows.

[peter l]

I attended a wonderful Mass this evening,dedicated to the Assumption of Mary into heaven.

This homily is wonderful and inspired also.