MEMORIES OF THE ASSUMPTION

MEMORIES OF THE ASSUMPTION

They bore her in a reverent group

To a holy place,

left her body in the earth - her body, "full of grace."

But Thomas, tardy, slow of foot,

absent when she died,

spent with sorrow, craved to see

her of the Crucified.

There was a swift intake of breath,

a hurried silent prayer:

startled they opened the new-made tomb

to find but lilies there. *

Sister M Angeline SSND

In: Robert. 1944

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* This refers to the millenia-old tradition that when Mary's last resting place was opened, only lilies were found. Ancient Christian tradition teaches that Mary did not suffer mortal bodily decay

From 'A Silence full of bells'