The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-08-09
Feast of the Assumption.

IT HE 10th of August commentaries
one of the most joyful events in
the life of tie Blessed Virgin. Her
life, as CLEANED from the gospels, is
very simple and brief, so much so that
it is urged sometimes as an argument
against Catholic devotion to her.
Bare facts are only mentioned. These
facts are to be found in the five joyful
mysteries. The splendor which sur
rounds her in these mysteries belongs
more to her divine son, who was in
reality the great object of attraction
When the son energies from his OBJ
security and appears as public
teacher, the mother falls into obscur-
ity. Her name is rarely mentioned in
the sacred text When the glorified
body manifests itself in Thabor. the
gospel does not mention that the
mother was present to share in the
joys of the favored apostles, and in
dulge in the laudable pride of her
motherly instincts. 1t tells distinctly
that she stood at the foot of the cross
to share in the pangs and sufferings of
her crucified son.
Favors are bestowed on others by her
divine son. Their praises are sung,
but the mother is apparently forgotten
and buried in obscurity. John the Bap-
fist is lauded as being more than
prophet. Peter is styled the rock upon
which he would build his church, and
Mary Magdalen, after her conversion,
is entitled to have her name connected
with his gospel whatsoever preached.
On his mother he bestows no extraor-
binary honors. When Jesus is helpless
and needs the tender care of her ma
ternal instincts, her name is mentioned.
share in HE great sorrow, but when
honored, her name is not mentioned.
Such seemed to be the mothers privi-
lege.
After his ascension she is left TO
mourn her lot in tears. The image of
the cross is indelibly impressed on her
soul, and for twenty three years she
lives on, pining away under the weight
of her Affections. Of these years but
little is known. The gospels are 81
lent. Christian tradition gives them
as years devoted to the practice of
every virtue, of continual progress in
sanctity, of perfect resignation to the
will of God, and to complete union
with her son in the daily reception of
the Blessed Eucharist.
of
reached the end of her earthly career.
1t was the contamination of the mys-
teries of her entire life, namely, her
assumption into heaven. Her death
was peaceable and calm. Surrounded
by the apostles, her soul, accompanied
by angels, passed from earth to heaven.
After her death, tradition tells that the
apostles guarded the sacred spot where
her remains rested. st. Thomas, who
had been preaching the gospel at some
three days after her burial. His desire
to see the remains of the blessed
mother was so great that the other
apostles consented to open the tomb,
but her body, like the soul, had taken
its flight to heaven. Only the linen in
which the body was wrapped was
found in the tomb.
Faith in this joyful and miraculous
event dates it's origin with the apostles,
and though not dogma of faith, has
come down through all the centuries
with increased profession of belief, and
is annually celebrated with fervor and
devotion. On next Friday the feast is
celebrated as a holy day of obligation