messenger of the queen of arts 94 having to return to the throne of God, He most tenderly said goodbye to her, that in her presence He solemnly entered Heaven, and when she remained still on earth, with love He visited her; He communicated to her the joyful news that He would bring her to Heaven, that He would help her at her blissful dormition, that her most holy soul, raised on the shoulders of archangels to Heaven, He would place at His right hand, that to her most holy soul He would join her most pure body, and both one and the other He would adorn with such glory that no one in Heaven enjoys except the Most Holy Trinity itself. And so, dear members, we have accompanied — I do not know how — the Most Blessed Virgin Mary to her heavenly throne. All our soul burns to go after her and remain there, where there is found the greatest Love of Heaven and earth. But let him not count on seeing Mary in the heavenly dwelling place who here on earth did not imitate her, who did not serve her with complete dedication. And therefore let me be permitted to finish this speech with the words of St. Ambrose: “Have always before your eyes the virginity and life of the Most Blessed Virgin as an image, from whom as from a mirror let there be reflected the excellence of chastity and the example of virtue. Whence, you have to draw the example from there of how to live; here, as in a reflection, you will find the explicit examples of an honest life, what you ought to correct, what you ought to avoid. The greatest encouragement to learning is the perfection of the teacher. And who could be more perfect than the Mother of God? Who can shine more than she, whom Light itself chose? Who could be more pure than her, who gave birth to a body without contact with a body? Mary was such a one, that her life can be a school for all. If then the author does not displease, let us try as well, and let each one, who desires to receive from her a reward, let him imitate her example.”10 10 St. Ambrose, De virginibus ad Marcellinam sororem II 2; PL 16, 220, 6-7.15.
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