THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (part 2)

 ANGEL GABRIEL SENT AS AMBASSADOR TO THE MOST BLESSED MARY

                                                                     Archangel Gabriel taking instruction from the Most High

When the most holy Mary had arrived at the age of sixty-seven years, the most blessed Trinity dispatched the archangel Gabriel with many others of the celestial hierarchies, to announce to the Queen when and how her mortal life should come to an end and pass over into the eternal. Gabriel saluted Her with the Ave Maria, and said to Her:

                                                                                          He saluted Her with "AVE GRATIA PLENA"

“Our Empress and Lady, the Omnipotent and the Holy of the holy sends us from his heavenly court to announce to Thee in his name the most happy end of thy pilgrimage and banishment upon earth in mortal life. Soon, 0 Lady, is that day and hour approaching, in which, according to thy longing desires, Thou shalt pass through natural death to the possession of the eternal and immortal life, which awaits Thee in the glory and at the right hand of thy divine Son, our God. Exactly three years from today Thou shalt be taken up and received into the everlasting joy of the Lord, where all its inhabitants await Thee, longing for thy presence.”

                                                                                                     Archangel Gabriel delivering the message to blessed  Mary     

 

Prostrating Herself again upon the earth, She answered in the same words as at the incarnation of the Word: “Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.” “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done according to thy word.”

                                                                                                                     And She said  "Behold the handmaid of the lord..."

 

Then She asked the holy angels and ministers

of the Most High to help Her give thanks for this welcome and joyful news. The blessed Mother alternately with the seraphim and other angels, sang the responses of a canticle that lasted for two hours, and therewith saint Gabriel took leave and returned with all his company to the empyrean heaven.

                                                                                                         Archangel Gabriel returning to heaven

The devout Queen resolved to take leave of the holy places before her departure into heaven, and having obtained the consent of saint John She left the house with him and with the thousand angels of her guard. The heavenly Princess, setting aside human occupations in order to enter upon her journey to the real and true fatherland, visited all the memorable places of our Redemption, marking each with the sweet abundance of her tears, recalling the sorrowful memories of what her Son there suffered, and fervently renewing its effects by most fervent acts of love, clamours and petitions for all the faithful, who should devoutly and reverently visit these holy places during the future ages of the Church. On Calvary She remained a longer time, asking of her divine Son the full effects of his redeeming Death for all the multitudes of souls there snatched from destruction. The ardour of her ineffable charity during this prayer rose to such a pitch, that it would have destroyed her life, if it had not been sustained by divine power.

Then She again charged the holy angels to assist Her in the custody of those sacred places, to inspire with holy thoughts all the faithful who should visit them with devotion, so that they might know and esteem properly the admirable blessing of the Redemption wrought thereon. She charged them also with the defence of those sanctuaries; and if the temerity and the crimes of men had not demerited this favour, without a doubt the holy angels would have warded off the profanations of the heathens and the infidels. Even as it is, they defend them in many ways to the present day.