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in Heaven: a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her
                        feet (Apoc. 12:1). The moon signifies the goods of this world, which, like it, are uncertain and
                                changeable. Mary never had these goods in Her heart, but always despised them and trampled them
        under Her feet, never allowing Her affection to center itself on any earthly
                            thing. Death was not bitter, then, for Mary, who had lived always and in all things detached from
                            the earth and united to God. On the contrary, it was sweet and dear to Her, since it united Her
more closely to God in Heaven.

                                    Nor could Mary be tormented at death by any remorse of conscience, for She was always free from the
                            least shade of actual or original sin - so much so, that it was said of Her: Thou art all fair, O
                            my love, and there is not a spot in Thee (Cant. 4:7). From the first moment of Her Immaculate
                                Conception, She began to love God with all Her strength, and She continued to do so throughout Her
                                whole life, advancing more and more in love and perfection. Mary loved God in every moment of Her
                                life with such ardor that it required a continued miracle to preserve Her life in the midst of such
                            flames. The Doctors and holy Fathers of the Church generally say that She died of no other
infirmity than pure love.

                                Finally, the certainty of eternal salvation rendered Mary's death sweet. We know that Mary had the
                    fullest certainty of the possession of divine grace, especially after the Angel Gabriel had
                                assured Her that She was full of grace, and that She already possessed God. What joy, then, must
                    the divine Mother have felt in receiving the revelation from the same Angel Gabriel of Her
approaching death!

                                But now let us see how Her blessed death took place. After the Ascension of Her Son, Mary willingly
                                remained on earth, knowing that such was the will of God for the good of the Church. But She could
                            not but feel the pain of being far from the presence and sight of Her beloved Jesus, Who had
ascended to Heaven. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also, said the Redeemer (Luke
12:34). But God alone was Mary's treasure and the resting-place of Her heart. Jesus being then in
Heaven, all the desires of Mary, who
loved no other good than Him, were likewise in Heaven.