The Assumption of Mary

Our Lady fell asleep at last after the yeas of living with St. John and waiting for Heaven, and all the Apostles were gathered about her bed. Except St. Thomas. He was off in India preaching the Gospel and couldn’t get back in time although an angel is supposed to have told him to hurry. The Apostles carried her body to the tomb and laid it there and some time afterward they discovered that it was gone. They naturally concluded that it had been taken to Heaven (as indeed it had). Then St. Thomas came home, and when they went out to meet him and to explain, he would not believe. He would not believe, the legend says, until he had seen for himself. So they took him to see where they had laid Our Lady’s body and in its place were flowers. Looking up, St. Thomas saw her going up to Heaven; and to convince him at least, an angel brought the girdle she had fastened about her rob, and dropped it to Thomas.

From The Year and Our Children by Mary Reed Newland.

This is a nice day to place a statue of Mary on your table at home and place some beautiful flowers around it with a simple votive candle if possible.  For little kids (or older kids who can’t stand to have a candle going without playing with it) the little battery powered votive candles are nice.

It is a nice day for the family to say all the Marian prayers before dinner, and of course be sure to attend mass!

After Mass talk about the celebration with your child. Discuss the meaning of the feast, and why it is important to Catholics. This would be a good opportunity to talk about motherhood, death and heaven — and to answer questions. (Take advantage of ‘teaching moments’!)

My Del.icio.us Links on the Assumption of Mary