The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-08-26
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION.

FEAST OF HE ASSUME ION.
The Feast of the Assumption, Aug
ust Is, has an added interest this year.
Belief in the Assumption has always
been optional; during the reign of the
Benedict XIV, the Assumption may be-
come a dogma to be believed in by all
Catholics. But we should read the fol-
lowing meditation on the Assumption,
translated from the French OF the
Able Pailler, not only because if that
probability, but because it will help us
when we say the fifth decade OF the
glorious mysteries of the Rosary.
/. Our Lord, when He assembled
into Heaven, did not associate the
Blessed Virgin with His triumph. He
left her on earth to help the apostles
and the other faithful by the strength
of her example. But who can say how
great was the sorrow of this divine
mother to see herself separated from
the Son she loved so tenderly! Dur
ing the twenty-three years that follow
ed our Lords Ascension, she must
have felt herself an exile banished to
a sort of desert where she could find
nothing which she longed for. All her
thoughts, affections and desires were
in Heaven.
At last the time came when God
called her to Himself. He sent an
angel to her to announce the happy
news, and with what deep content
ment must the Blessed Virgin have re-
ceived it, She warned the apostles,
and reunited them about her that she
might give her last words of encour-
agement to them. Let us, too, go with
the apostles to be with her during
those last moments. We need not fear
that agony of mind and body that ordi-
narily make death lugubriOus spec
tacIe. No, here all is calm, all is tran
quill, all breathes a perfume of peace
like the first breezes of immortality.
The face of the Blessed Virgin is more
radiant than ever; her eyes reflect all
serenity for she already seems to con-
template God face to face. Her heart
experiences in advance eternal de-
lights. She does not feel fear, because
feel regret because she has never been
attached to earth. She does not sigh,
because death will unite her forever
TO God. At last she does, but the
apostles remain silent about her couch
for they think she sleeps-she passes
away so quietly.
What a beautiful death! Who of
4 I,nf
But could we hope to die in trans
port of love for God-We, who love SO
feebly and so coldly? At least, we
can hope to die in the love of God, for
that is the indispensable condition of
our salvation. But how can we die in
His love, if we have lived for the
things He hates. THE tree" says the
Holy Spirit, will fall where it leans.
We die as we live. Do we wish to die
as the Blessed Virgin did-in the love
of God? Then during our lives, God
must be the object of our dearest al
fections, we must love Him with all
our hearts and souls and strength.
DO we wish to die, like the Blessed
Virgin, without remorse or fear? Then
let us avoid sin and live in innocence.
Do we wish to die like her without
regret and without heartbreak? Then
let us live, like her, without dispropor-
tionate love for earthly goods and
earthly creatures.
II. After the death of the Blessed
Virgin, the apostles thought to pay the
last honors to her body. They carried
it into the valley of Josaphat, and
placed it in the same sepulcher with
those of Joachim and Anne, her father
and mother. Those pious duties over,
they still remained to pray there for
three days. Then, from the depth OF
the Indies came the apostle Thomas
who, since he had not been able to be
present at the death of the Blessed
Virgin, mistakenly begged the apostles
to open the tomb that he might have
the consolation Of seeing the well-lov.
ed features for the last time. But
when they opened the tomb for him.
they found only lilies and roses. The
body of the Blessed Virgin, that body
of incompatible purity, the sanctuary
wherein had dwelt the Son of Gid, was
not to be subject to the general law
of corruption. 1t had been carried to
Heaven with her soul, and in Heaven
she reigns today above the patriarchs
and prophets, above apostles and mar.
tyrs, above all the saints and even the
angels, because she surpassed them in
virtue.
And as she remained on earth to
care for the first faithful, so she still
helps the living faithful. In Heaven
she knows better than we, our needs
and our perils. She knows, too, the
aid we should have, and finding her
self so near to God in Heaven, she
pleads with Him for us-especially il
we ask her.
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