Here is how the official words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes it: “...the Immaculate Virgin, preserved from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.” Pope Francis said on last year’s Feast day, that Mary’s Assumption gives us hope that we are precious, destined to rise again. That God does not allow our bodies to vanish into nothing. That with God, nothing is lost!(That really is something to cherish and hold onto , yes?) He then invited us to ask ourselves, whether we, like Mary, praise and thank God for the good things He does for us, for His love, forgiveness, tenderness and for giving us His Mother and our brothers and sisters. “If we forget the good,” the Pope warned, “the heart shrinks.” “But if, like Mary, we remember the great things that the Lord does, if at least once a day we were to “magnify” Him, then our hearts will expand and our joy will increase.” ............ from Vatican News