On this August 15th, the glorious feast of the Assumption, the Church contemplates Mary assumed into Heaven, the first after the Holy Trinity in eternal glory. This elevation is not merely a mystery to be admired from afar, but a light upon our own vocation: holiness.
Among the souls who have received great revelations concerning this mystery, the Blessed Marie Lataste leaves us a moving testimony, where Christ Himself explains to her the grandeur of God's mercy, manifested both on earth and in Heaven.
Mercy on Earth and in Heaven
"God, my daughter, shows His mercy on earth and in heaven," Jesus says to Marie Lataste.
On earth, He gave mankind a Savior: Himself, the Son of God, true man and true God, who suffered and died for us. By His Cross, He restored us to our original dignity and adopted us as children of God.
In Heaven, this mercy shines resplendent in the glory of the saints. All are filled with happiness, each according to the measure with which they glorified God on earth. The Virgin Mary occupies the first place, immediately after the Holy Trinity. Below her stand the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, virgins, martyrs, and all the elect.
This eternal beatitude, Jesus says, is so great that all the trials of life are nothing in comparison. If men understood the glory of Heaven, they would give everything to merit it.
Mary, Queen and Advocate of Souls
Marie Lataste also had a vision of a mysterious judgment for the souls in purgatory. Christ, surrounded by angels clothed in white, had the "great scales of justice" brought forth. On one side, the prayers of the Church; on the other, the spiritual debts remaining to be paid.
The prayers, at first, seemed lighter than the weight of the debts. But then, the Holy Virgin approached, placed her hand on the side of the prayers… and immediately their weight far surpassed that of the debts.
Jesus then said to her: "Be always the Mother of Mercy."
Before her eyes, the angels descended into the abyss of purgatory and brought back souls whom they clothed in a white robe before presenting them to Mary. She embraced them, gave them a white paper, and then asked for them the eternal blessing of her Son.
Grace in Communion
At the heart of this vision, Marie Lataste herself received privileged graces: an angel presented her with a chalice filled with the gifts of the Savior. These graces, poured into her soul, transformed her entirely. When she received Communion, Jesus came to reign in her heart as upon a throne, and she tasted an inexpressible happiness, outside of time, beyond human categories.
But the Lord also taught her humility: even filled with favors, no grace is "owed" to us. Everything is a gratuitous gift, and we must always remain small before God.
A Call for the Feast of the Assumption
On this day when we honor Mary taken up to Heaven, the vision of Marie Lataste reminds us of three essential truths:
- Mary is the first of the saved and the most powerful intercessor. Her role as Mother of Mercy does not cease: she acts for us, for our souls, and for those in purgatory.
- Holiness is our vocation. Heaven is not reserved for a privileged few, but for all who choose to live as children of God.
- Our prayers have an eternal weight, especially when they are offered for the deceased.
Thus, let us turn our gaze towards Mary, not as a mere memory, but as our living Queen in Heaven, who draws us to where she already is, in the light of the Holy Trinity.