Disclaimer: This is an imaginative reflection on these mysteries of the rosary. Any likeness to private revelations is purely coincidental as I have never personally read any private revelation on the Assumption or Coronation of Mary. 

On Earth 

Mary had taken to her bed the day before. She said she did not feel poorly, but rather tired. She had known for months that the time was coming for her to finally be reunited with her son. Women from the Ephesus church attended her, prayed to her, recited the Holy Scriptures to her as she lay in bed. She gazed upon a portrait of Jesus that Luke had painted for her years ago. 

John called Peter and Andrew in from the courtyard. They had arrived in Ephesus only the week before, having been told by an angel that Mother Mary desired to have all the apostles close to her during this time. They were the only two who were able to get there. As Peter and Andrew rose from where they sat under an olive tree, James walked through the doorway on the other side. John ran across the stones to embrace his brother and immediately Peter, Andrew, James, and John went inside together to kneel at Mary’s bedside. 

Mary smiled and embraced James as the four apostles came into the room. Her face was as radiantly beautiful as ever though marked by some wrinkles of time. Her thick brown hair was streaked with gray. Her brown eyes were as lively and joyful as ever. 

The women who attended her left quietly. When they were gone Mary looked at the four men with tender love. She had watched them preach the Gospel of her Son for years now and her heart soared knowing how faithful they had been in the face of countless dangers and persecutions. 

Suddenly, it was not only the four apostles who were in the room. A slight breeze came through the open window and they were joined, via bi-location, the rest of the Twelve in addition to Paul. Mary beamed at them, so glad to see each of their faces a last time on Earth. 

“My sons,” she said, “The time has come. Today my Son will take me Home to Him. My heart rejoices to be with Him, to finally rest in Him. Yet I will miss you all. The years ahead of you will be filled with further danger, persecution, and martyrdom. Each of you will be asked to lay down your life for my Son in ways you have not yet. You must persevere with joy. You must seek Him in prayer. You must cling to His life-giving Bread. All other things will be stripped from you but He will never be stripped from you. I know you will be sad when I go, but rejoice with me that I go to my Son. Rejoice that I will see the Father and be united to the Holy Spirit as never before. Heaven awaits me with eager anticipation. Take heart with the hope that you will join me there soon enough, praising Our God for all of eternity. I love you, my sons. I will ever be asking God to grant you many graces in the years to come. Love Him to the end, my dear sons.” 

With the last words, she took a deep breath, gave a little sigh, and closed her eyes. Tears rolled down the cheeks of the brave, hearty men who surrounded her. The room was then filled with bright light and the apostles were granted the vision of a dozen angels surrounding Mary’s bed. The angels placed a crown of roses on her head and lifted her up. With a flash of bright light, Mary and the angels were gone and a scattering of rose petals were all that was left behind on the bed where the Mother of God had lain. 

In Heaven 

When Mary opened her eyes again, she was startled by what she thought were dancing stars. She realized quickly that the lights she saw moving with agility and grace were hundreds and hundreds of angels. They were singing over and over again, “Ave Maria, gratia plena” - the first words spoken to her by an angel, the Archangel Gabriel. 

She was immediately approached by Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael and dressed in robes of surpassing beauty. Her hair was braided and pearl pins helped to hold the long brown braids in place. There were no more streaks of gray. Her face was no longer lined by the wrinkles of age. As radiant as Mary had always been, she was truly resplendent now and looked every bit who she was - the most beautiful and perfect woman that ever has been or ever will be. 

The Archangels led her through the hosts of Heaven, with the choirs of angels still singing, “Ave Maria, gratia plena.” Mary saw not only the angels but the saints, the holy ones, who preceded her arrival in the Heavenly court. Though they did not have their bodies in full as she did, the saints appeared to have bodies just as the angels appeared to have some sort of bodily form as well. As Mary walked by, the saints bowed their heads with reverence and awe before the Mother of God. 

At last, Michael took her hand and led her to the throne of God, where Christ sat at the right hand of the Father. Mary allowed Michael to place her hand in the outstretched hand of her Son before she threw her arms around His neck and embraced Him for the first time since his Ascension. Heaven went silent during the embrace of the Son of God and His Mother. 

Music began to play softly. It picked up tempo and strength and swelled with a glorious tune. Another woman approached the throne attended by angels. She was dressed in a white robe as the other saints. She was almost as beautiful as Mary though her radiance seemed dim in comparison. In her hands was an embroidered pillow. On the bottom side of the pillow, the side which her hands touched, was embroidered an image of a woman beneath a tree, reaching up for forbidden fruit as a serpent whispered in her ear. On the top side of the pillow was embroidered a woman at the foot of a tree which had been cut into a cross and she reached up to touch the bleeding foot of her dying Son. Resting on the top side of the pillow was a crown shining with the light of the stars. 

When Eve reached the throne Jesus smiled at her with great love in His eyes and lifted the crown from the pillow. Mary kneeled before him and He placed the crown upon her head. He took her hand and lifted her up. He said to all the saints and angels, “Behold your Queen.” 

The entire Heavenly court bowed before Mary and Jesus. At long last, the King and Queen of Heaven and Earth were together. The angels broke out in song, “Salve Regina!”