Thirty-first Day. the Assumption
Tradition says that after Mary’s sacred remains had been most reverently entombed by the apostles, songs were heard proceeding from her sepulchre during the space of three days, and on the third day St. Thomas came, imploring to have the slab removed from the tomb that he might gaze for the last time on the beloved features of Mary. The slab was raised, but as he bent forward to look upon her, he started back in amazement; naught was to be seen save the grave-clothes in which the sacred body had been enveloped. The body itself was nowhere to be found. Then they knew that God had taken her, body and soul, to heaven. St. John describes the coronation in these terms: A great sign appeared in the heavens; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and the Queen thus crowned took her place near her Son on a throne prepared from all eternity. O you who fear the justice of God! O you who dare not cast yourself at the feet of Jesus! remember you have with Him a powerful advocate, who is Mary. O Mary, thou blessed, loving Mother, compassionate thy orphan children; pray for us, and place us one day near thee in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Prayer.
O holy virgin Mary, who, in order to inspire us with boundless confidence, hast been pleased to assume the sweet name of Mother of perpetual succor, we implore thee to come to our aid always and everywhere; in our temptations, after our falls, in our difficulties, in all the miseries of life, and above all in the sad hour of our death. Amen.