Virgin with Apples

If you just tuned in, read a couple of the postings in the near past to get up to date on our parish's Saint's Day Celebration: Aug. 15, Assumption of the Virgin. Yesterday, the image of the Virgin that portrays her "sleeping" (some would say, "dead")was brought to the church on a bier, with great ceremony, laid in state in the center aisle, and every inch to spare on the bier filled with apples, from the new crop. Funny shapes and a little wormy, but apples for all that. When you come in to pay your respects, one of the ladies sitting nearby hands you an apple. Today, the pastor explained that the apples remind us of that ancient forbidden fruit that tempted Eve in the garden and led to so much misery in the world. With Mary, and the birth of Jesus, His death and Resurrection, that old curse was paid and lifted. So it's a biblical and appropriate custom and she looks very pretty, peacefully lying there, eyes closed, surrounded by apples, and attended by 6 or 8 little girls in white dresses with wings sprouting on their backs.

After Mass in our parish, we hustled down to the cathedral for the Bishop's mass, since my Deacon asked how he could learn better to serve when the bishop celebrates. After a brief homily, he asked Dick to give his testimony about how a woman's faith brought him into the Catholic Church. It's quite a story, starting when I was 14 and God led me into the Church singlehanded without human intervention.Afterwards we were invited to lunch with the bishop and some friends of his. It was fun, even hilarious and darn good food!

Tomorrow is the actual Sain't Day. You may get one more post on this before we go on to new adventures.