The Assumption of the Other Mary

[Dr. Paul Clement Czaja]

While in Ireland one week twelve years ago I was taken by my host from the
Montessori Training Center there to the National Gallery of Art in Dublin.
He thought it would be a treat. I was hoping to be taken to a pub.
Serendipitously, wouldn't you know it, they were having a major showing of
16th century Italian art. Although I am Polish, I am from the Bronx and
therefore quite open to all culture and I confess was delighted to
discover these gigantic oil paintings most reaching from ceiling to floor
depicting gospel scenes filled with simple folk from Italian
villages---very existential---we entered the second room and there was a
huge painting of the Assumption of Mary the Mother of Jesus---fairly
familiar though quite lovely with Mary in a long simple blue gown
billowing gently out, the clouds about her feet, angels singing around her
as she with her grey eyes turned upwards smiled at the gift of being
assumed up to heaven---and then I saw it---on the opposite wall another
hugh painting----a twin done by the same artist showing Mary Magdalene
being assumed up to heaven too!---clouds also beneath her feet and angels
singing there at her sides----her beautiful long hed hair falling
gracefully all the way down to her feet covering as if with a thin wispy
red silk veil her naked body----her breasts were peeking out, and we could
see her pubic hair, her thighs, dimpled knees, her naked toes---her green
eyes also turned up beholding her savior to whom she was being brought
directly---"Wow!" I said out loud. "Mary Magdalene was given the gift of
assumption, too." My Irish host was outraged, scandalized. "This is
blasphemous," he judged. "Some drunken Italian artist dreams this up and
paints it." "Hold on," says I. "This is a revelation to me. Can't you
see: it is saying that the gift of the assumption into heaven without any
decay of the grave was given by Jesus to his mother, Mary, because he so
loved her---not because of the fact that she was 'conceived without sin'
or is 'Mary, Ever Virgin,'---but because Jesus loved her so much---and
Jesus gave the same gift to Mary Magdalene because He loved her too and
did not want her body to suffer the decaying of the grave either. It has
nothing to do with sinlessness or virginity but has everything to do with
the superabundant unconditional love of Jesus." I was saying all this with
great animation and even joy at the revelation to me, a sinner for sure.
My Irish host who was a good, sound man from Cork was just about to bend
my nose for speaking so outlandishly in defense of this Italian artist
drunk. So I ducked away prudently saying: "Come on, Jack, let's get back
out into the spring air, and you can show me into one of those famous
Dublin pubs. I've never had a pint of real Irish stout in my life and this
may be my only chance." So we did just that and the revelation time was
over. Later that week when I was lecturing in Galway, Limerick, Cork, and
back again in Dublin I spoke of course of this revelation about the Holy
Assumption of the two Marys just to share it with my Irish audiences. They
didn't tar and feather me but I did see some mouths agape. When I returned
to Fordham I researched it in the Early Church History Archives of Duane
Library---and sure enough found a first century tradition referring to the
assumptions of the two Marys. Now I know some might say, "But what do you
expect to find in a Jesuit library?" -----but I offer you this bit of
existentialism as we celebrate with the Universal Church the Holy
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. o(:-)}}

Paul Clement Czaja <cz...@csn.net.us>