Vigils Reading – Memorial of BVM

WHY DID SHE NOT ASCEND WITH HIM IN HIS ASCENSION?

From the writing of St Amadeus of Lausanne7

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As I reflect and often ponder over in my mind the assumption of the Mother of God, a certain question comes to my mind, worthy of examination, profitable when answered, which will obviously be pleasant when it is shared. The question is why, when the Lord ascended into heaven, did his mother who embraced him with such affection not follow him at once? Since she was weighed down with no cloud of sin, soiled with no spot on her life, glowed more than a fire because of her charity, was brighter than the light by reason of her chastity, even outdistanced the denizens of heaven through the uniqueness of the virgin birth, it seemed strange that she was not carried at once to heaven with her Son.

Doubtless Enoch walked with God in purity of heart and was seen no more, for God took him. Elijah also, burning with the great fire of charity, is said to have been carried away by a chariot of fire and horses of fire. But she who surpassed Enoch in purity of heart and was greater than Elijah through the privilege of her love, why was she not straightway carried into heaven along with him whom she bore? For she was full of grace and blessed among women. She alone was found worthy to conceive true God from true God… She suffered with him in his death… She lived again in the Spirit in his resurrection… Why did she not ascend with him in his ascension?… Why was her holy desire, hotter than fire, held back?

Because that delay was no small comfort for Christ’s disciples. That delay did not detract from the mother and it brought to the world the medicines of salvation. For the Lord Jesus willed that on his return to his Father his disciples should enjoy maternal comfort and teaching. Though indeed they had been taught by the Spirit, yet they could be taught by her who put forth to the world the sun of righteousness and brought for us from a virgin meadow, from an unspotted womb, the fount of wisdom. In short, with wondrous goodness provision was made for the primitive Church which no longer saw God present in the flesh, that it might see his mother and be refreshed by the lovely sight…

For what is there so lovely, so seemly and delightful, as to behold the mother of the Creator and Redeemer of the world? If the sepulchre of that same Redeemer, which still exists today, is so delightful in our sight, if the stone on which rested the holy stock of Jesse is sought out by such a great concourse that it calls forth the affections and thoughts of all men and attracts everything by a kind of religious charm, what joy was it to see the Mother of God as long as the divine pity allowed her to stay with us on earth in our common life?…

For as soon as she was seen glowing with the fire of holy love, she sweetly inflamed the hearts of those near her, brought faith to the hearts, urged them to modesty, made what was honorable lovely, drawing them to righteousness. She breathed the flower of virginity, sowed the untilled field of chastity, portraying before their eyes the picture of humility and showing them the mark of truthfulness. Around her was an unfailing brightness and in her face a glowing fire. A swift-flowing river of fire went forth from her to set on fire her foes, to warm her friends, to help her neighbors, to burn up her enemies. It is said by those who understand the nature of living things that the poisonous snake by the mere sight of it and by its deadly breath kills whatever is near it. In the same way she, hotly inflamed by its nearness with the heat of the divine fire and sprinkled with the blazing flames of the Word, breathed forth the scent of the grace of the resurrection upon those who were far off and those who were near