In celebration of the Assumption of Mary we were reading out of Dom Guranger's books The Liturgical Year the Gospel for the Mass Prayers of the Assumption. The explaination of this particular Gospel finally explained to me a story of the Bible I had wondered about, I thought I would share. Also a reminder that this day is not just one of feasting and crafts but in remembering our Holy Mother and what a good example she has set for us in how to love Her Son and how to gain Heaven!

"Sequel of the Holy Gospel according to Luke Ch. x
At that time, Jesus entered into ta certain town; and a certain women named MArth received Him into her house; and she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lor's feed, heard His word. But Marth was busy about much serving; who stood and said, Lord, hast Thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? Speak to her therefore, that she help me. And the Lord answering said to her, Martha, Martha, though art careful, and art troubled about many things: but one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Dom Guranger's explaination- To this Gospel the Roman Liturgy formely added, as the Greek and the Mozarabig still add, the following verses from another chapter of St. Luke: "As He spoke these things a certain woman from the crowd lifing up her voice said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it." 

The words thus added turned the peopl'e thoughts towards our Lady; still the episode of Marth and Mary in the Gospel of the day remained unexplained. We will use the words of St. Bruno of Asti to express the reason tradition gives for the choice of this Gospel. 'These two women,' he says, 'are the leaders of the arm of the Church, and all the faithful follow them. Some walk in Martha's footsteps, others in Mary's; but no one can reach our heavenly fatherland unless he follows one or the other. Rightly, then, have our fathers ordained that this Gospel should be read on the principle feast of ou Lady, for she is signified by these twho sisters. For no other creature combined the privileges of both lives, active and contemplative, as did the Blessed Virgin.

Like Marth she received Christ, yea, she did more than Marth, for she recieved Him not only into her house, but into her womb. She conceived Him, gave Him birth, carried Him in her arms, and ministered to Him more frequently than did Martha. On the other hand, she listened, like Mary, to His words, and kept them for our sake, pondering them in her heart. She contemplated His humanit, and penetrated more deeply than all others into His Divinity. She choose the better part, which shall not be taken away from her." 'He', continues St. Bernard, 'whom she reveived at His entrance into this poor world, receives her today at the gate of the Holy City. No spot on earth so worthy of the Son of God as the Virgin's womb: no throne of heaven so lofty as that whereon the Son of Mary places her in return. What a reception each gave to the other! The sacred Bread, for which we are indebted to Mary, remains always with us. May it, through her intercession, preserve us from all evils!"

 

It's been a busy day here! We started off our day with some friends over to join us in our Assumption day celebration. We talked about the great truths of the Holy Catholic Faith, made new friends and frosted some lavender/lemon sugar cookies in the shapes of flowers and the letters to make Mary's name.

After our company left I got moving in the kicthen and made peach chiffon pie as mentioned in the previous post. The ginger snap crust and peaches holding true to herbs/spices and fruits being on the menu during this feast day. For dinner we had pasta with pesto sauce using basil fresh from the garden. Served with Assumptia Salad (also mentioned on the previous Assumption post). I had ment to make bread as well but we had so much fun this morning with our new friends that it had skipped my mind. Wheat being another harvest item that was traditionally blessed at this time. Needless to say that my two little guys were anxiously awaiting their fun and festive dinner!

Between our morning visit and making dinner my youngest and I made a couple of Assumption Banner from the Seton Art 1 book (which I love and recommend not just to those doing first grade). We colored the picture of Mary, cut it out and glued it on a blue sheet of card stock. Then we added glitter to highlight the rays of light and white sand and glitter for the clouds beneath (the book says to use cotton balls but I couldn't find ours). Then we added some ribbon and hung them up! It was a fun day to help our little ones remember why this is a Holy Day of Obligation and of the religious importance.

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Today we made our triptych altar craft, each of the boys made a light blue and I made the middle dark blue one using some beads we bought at a rummage sale, some dollies, glue and some glitter. We used some holy card print outs of Our Lady from Holy Reflections. It made a nice addition to our home altar in preperation for "Our Lady's Falling Asleep" on Monday.

This holy day of obligation is on August 15th, the day that the Catholic Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven, body and soul. This is a very old feast day and the most celebrated of Our Lady's feasts. It was always a long held pious belief but on November 1st 1950 Pope Pius the XII put forth the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus defining the dogma of Mary's Assumption. Pope Pius XII wrote, "By the power of God, Mary was assumed into Heaven. there Mary was crowned Queen of all and because she is our Queen and Mother, we should pray to her often, asking her to intercede for us."

Any prayers that are in honor of our Lady are appropriate for this day including the Hail Mary, Hail, Holy Queen, The Magnificat, The Litany to Our Lady and others.  

To help children understand the importance of this day one might begin with saying some of the above mentioned prayers, reading about the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and perhaps a coloring page. Seton Press puts out an Art 1 Book for Young Catholics that has a banner activity in it featuring Our Lady Assuming into heaven, A Year with God published by Catholic Heritage Curricula has a book mark activity including a prayer and you will also find other various activities along with history/traditions on our page dedicated to Feast of the Assumption. 

"Your sacred and happy soul, as nature will have it, was separated in death from your most blessed and immaculate body; and although the body was duly interred, it did not remain in the state of death, neither was it dissolved by decay...Your most pur and sinless body was not left on earth but you were transferred to your heavenly throne, O Lady, Queen, and Mother of God in truth." ~St. John Damascene



Traditions of Various Countries
From The Holyday Book
By Francis X Weiser

Hungary- Celebrates with solemnities, pageants, parades and universal rejoicing. 

France- A pageant with figures of angles descending in the church to find a seplicure filled with flours and ascending again with the imagine of Our Lady dressed in most lovely garments while the hymn Madonna is played. Our Lady's statue is carried through the cities and towns while church bells ring and the faithful sing hymn's in Mary's honor.

Armenia- A week of fasting prior to the Feast of the Assumption which was 3 days of celebration following with a solemn liturgical octave.

Germany- The 30 days including the Assumption are called 'Our Lady's Thirty days." They give her the title 'Our Lady of Grains' (being the harvest season).

Central Europe- "Our Lady's Herb Day" Herbs are taken before the solemn service of the Assumption where they are blessed.

Sicily- People abstain in part or all from fruit during the first two weeks of August in honor of the Blessed Virgin. Fruit is brought to the church for blessings on the actual feast day and then served at dinner. Gifts of fruit baskets are also given on this day.

Italy- A Procession on this day is of utmost importance to the Italians. They carry The Blessed Virgin's statue under an arch greatly decorated with branches and flowers, the arch represents the gate to heaven.

In many other countries processions are held on this day in Our Lady's honor where they are lead by a priest as they walk through fields and meadows asking God's blessing on their harvest and offering up prayers and hymns.

Portugal- Fishermen's boats are blessed and this custom has made it's way to the United States in certain fishing towns.