A Catholic would say that Mary is the first disciple because she was the first to say yes to Jesus at the Annunciation. Maybe we know this verse from the Letter of Saint James 1:12
The man who patiently endures the temptations and trials that come to him is the truly happy man. For once his testing is complete he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to all who love him.
So there's a crown reserved for each of us, and Mary has gone ahead to receive her own: promised to those who love God.
While heaven may be a place, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places," (John 14:2) more importantly it is the enjoyment of the full presence of God. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux writes that the joy of heaven increased, when in the Assumption, souls heard Mary's voice as she stepped over into that full presence of God.
While heaven may be a place, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places," (John 14:2) more importantly it is the enjoyment of the full presence of God. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux writes that the joy of heaven increased, when in the Assumption, souls heard Mary's voice as she stepped over into that full presence of God.
Someone might dismissively say: Oh that's so naive. Maybe. But that's because we usually think of naivete negatively, as lacking intelligence, seasoned wisdom and good judgment, being unrealistic and needing to get real. But the French word naive really means: innocence, unworldliness, trustfulness, just born, uncritical, natural and without guile.
The meaning of the word is very beautiful, such that, yes, we might rightly apply it to St. Bernard's vision of heaven: joy increasing at the sound of Mary's voice. Just delight!
