The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-16
The Assumption.

All things in the Catholic religion ar
stamped with the two characteristics of sim
plcity and sublimity. The most trivial prac
tice of piety will be found, upon examination
to be as sublime as it is simple; and we fin,
upon every act of devotion, every prayer
every ceremony, every festival of the Church
these two marks of Gods omnipotent wisdom
1t is thus every legend comes down to us i'm
pressed with this two.fold character, anj
therefore fitted to the comprehension of tn,
humblest peasant well as to that of tn,
most profound and earnest student. The AS
sumption into Heaven, Immediately afle,
death, of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary, is on,
of these beautiful legends, or rather pious ira
ditions, handed down from Apostolic ages and
enshrined in the faith of the Catholic world
How simply and naturally it accords with ou
Ideas of Gods goodness, and how sublime it,
aspect when viewed special privilege
granted by Almighty power to the best ant
purest of created beings.
As proof that this prerogative of the Vir.
gin mother was believed and cherished in the
early ages, We find that in 1880, Giunta
Pisano selected this as the subject OF a
painting for the Francisans of Assist, and
and touching manner. The Virgin, supported
by her Divine Son, is seen calmly ascending
above the clouds of Earth. Encircled by His
arms, she seems to rest upon His infinite pow
er and love, realizing those words of the Can
ticles: "Who is she that cometh up from the
DESERT leaning upon her Beloved ?"
The tradition is that St. Thomas, one of the
twelve, being absent at the time of the Virgins
death, desired upon his return to unseal the
sepulchre where she had been laid, so as to
gaze once more upon her maternal face 1t
was then discovered that the tomb was empty
OF its treasure; but filled instead with fair and
fragrant lilies. st. Thomas and Size other
Apostles ERE thus consoled for their loss by
this silent yet sweet assurance that the Master
had not permitted that virginia. body which
had been bis temple and his dwelling place to
sec corruption; but had placed her on q throne
beside Himself in Heaven
Is 1t not a simple, yet sublime belief! And
would not any other hypothesis revolt our hu-
man feelings and shock our human reason
1t was from her pure substance that He drew
His own sacred flesh, and from her veins He
received the crimson stream which supplied
his own; could we then suppose that q God
all just, Son all perfect, would permit His
most favored creature, His own appointed mo-
Their, to remain within the tomb, there to be-
come the prey of corruption, the food of
worms Religion and nature answer. No,
Tradition also tells US that SO great a light
enVeloped the Virgins body after death. that
the pious women who shrouded it for its burial
although they touched it, saw it not! That
the Apostles reverently laid it upon the bier.
ana ST. John walking before, they went and
lald the Virgin in tomb in the Valley of Je-
nosaphat' 1t is not claimed for this most
Olessed mother thatshe was exempt from death
had she not tasted all the penalties of life
though slnless, had she not drunk the fpn
cballce of afliction i-but is it not natural and
proper to believe that her divine Son rais.d |
her body froE the grave, before the general |
Resurrection, that it might not know corrun-
lion or decay He might indeed do this for
my of His saints-but who among them held
uch near and dear relations to Himself, or was
10 wholly worthy of this divine execution. as
His own Immaculate Mother9
In 1857, Andrea Orcagna treated this sub
ect in bas-relief at Florence. Ubere
he Virgin is attended by many angels, ST.
.homas stands below, and with outstretched
ands, gaEes mp toward the heavenly vision.
In l4l3, Taddeo Bartoli represented the same
lea. Here, clothed in a starry robe, the Vir-
in Is partly lifted by the wings of angels. and
artly drawn up by the attractive power of
hrist, who, floating above her, takes her
lasped hands in both of his.
Ghirlandajo in 1175 delineatss the ANNA !
eautiful conception, representing the ecstatio !
lrgin' with extended hands, floating upwards. ,