Simple Thoughts on the Rosary: Glorious Mysteries: The Ascension
These gentle forces were to sustain, not to satisfy. They were to maintain for ever in their hearts and in the hearts of His disciples to the end of time, the longing desire to see face to face Him who, beneath His veils, is the source of all their desires; the pining for that “abiding City” which “the Spirit Himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings” (Rom. 8).
VII.—If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.—Coloss. iii.
See the disciples wending their way towards the Mount of Olives; He in their midst, visible to them, not to His enemies. Note how He is literally the one thought, the one love of them all. How every aim, desire, affection, centres in Him. How He is the bond of union among so many of different ranks, callings, characters. See the radiant peace on every face. Look into each heart and see how joy and confidence reign supreme; how the world with its pleasures and honours is not so much despised as utterly ignored by these men of lowly station.
Why? Because being risen with Christ, they seek the things that are above, whither their Lord is ascending to sit at the right hand of God. The love of Christ has drawn them out and freed them from the absorbing love of self. His views, His Will, His service, have taken the place of personal considerations. How proud they are of Him. And of being His. How they look to Him, lean upon Him, trust to Him the future so lowering, so unprovided for. What matter if life is to be full of peril and pain, if goods, home, friends, strength, life itself, have to be sacrificed for Him! He will be with them through it all. He will make up to them for all. He will be ready to receive them when their work for Him is done. In a little while they will be with Him in His Kingdom. Oh that that hour were come now!
But six weeks ago all His acquaintance and the women that had followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off beholding what seemed to be the end of all their hopes. It was the eve of the Pasch. The rejoicings of the morrow were mockery and misery to them. On the first day of the week they rose from troubled sleep to face life again, their hearts weighted with a sorrow beyond the power of heaven or earth to lighten. So it seemed. But the next day when they rose—if indeed there was rest for any of them that night that followed the Resurrection—and the next day, and the next, and as day succeeded day—what a change! If earth looked dark now, it was because the light of His face had dulled all else to them. No loss could sadden them: no persecution shake them; nothing could fetter the freedom or quench the joy of hearts to which their risen Lord was all in all.
Calvary had crushed them to the earth: it had not raised them to heaven. Unless mind and heart open to the grace that comes with a great sorrow, this will not work detachment—a hopeless, bitter disgust of life, perhaps, but this is not detachment. Detachment is a bright grace, that frees the soul from earthly ties, not to leave it unsupported and unsatisfied, but to bear it swiftly to God. It does not kill or blunt the affections, but purifies and intensifies them that they may cleave with all their strength to the Sovereign Good, the All-sufficing God. Thus the work, begun by sorrow, must be perfected by hope and love. The Easter sun must follow upon the three hours of darkness, as it did for our Lord’s first disciples. Having Him, they needed nothing beside. Even those who had not yet seen Him were happy in the thought of His happiness and in the promise that they should see Him soon.
And when the cloud on Olivet had taken Him from their sight, they were joyful still. We are told expressly that they went back into Jerusalem “with great joy.” “And they were always in the Temple praising and blessing God.” The sensible loss His Ascension had brought to them was forgotten in their exultation at His triumph. And He was with them yet, beneath the veils. Day and night they could go to Him for light, for strength, for every needful grace. The trials of earth fell lightly on hearts that were in Heaven with their Treasure. Their conversation, their interests were there. They were risen with Christ and sought “the things that are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.”
We, too, are His disciples—why should it not be thus with us?
VIII.—This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen Him going into heaven.—Acts i.
What would her Child be like? was Mary’s constant thought during the time of her Expectation before His birth. How would He look into her face? How would she dare to look on Him, nurse Him, swathe Him, fold Him in her arms? Would she be dazzled and overpowered by the glory streaming from Him? Thus the Greek liturgy makes her muse and question. And the answer is: “Wait, Blessed Mother, wait.”
With greater reason would she ponder thus in her heart during the forty hours of her second Expectation, when she was awaiting her Son’s return to her from the grave, His Birthday to a new and immortal life. She knew that the Divinity, hitherto concealed, was now to manifest Itself. How could she dare to look upon Him in His glory?
We, too, are expecting the Coming of Christ.
We expect Him daily in His inspirations and secret visits to our souls.
We expect His descent on to the altar in the one, unending Sacrifice.
We expect Him in Holy Communion, veiled in the Host, as shrouded in human flesh at Bethlehem.
We expect Him at the General Judgment on the Last Day, when He will come in His majesty amid the clouds of heaven, and every eye shall see Him.
We expect Him at the Particular Judgment in the very moment of death. Life from first to last is our expectation of this dread coming to us as Judge. How often does it find us echoing our Mother’s questioning: “When will He come to me? And how?”
When He has not told me. I have to be always watching, always listening for the sound of His feet. “Watch,” He says to me, “for you know not when the Lord of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing or in the morning; lest coming on a sudden He find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all: Watch” (Mark 13).
How He will come depends on myself. Lord, give me grace to live so faithful a child of holy Church, that her prayer for me may be heard in the hour when my trembling soul shall go forth from the body into the house of its eternity:
“As thy soul goeth forth from the body, may the bright company of Angels meet thee; may the judicial senate of Apostles greet thee; may the triumphant army of white-robed Martyrs come out to welcome thee; may the band of glowing Confessors, crowned with lilies, encircle thee; may the choir of Virgins, singing jubilees, receive thee: mild and festive may the aspect of Jesus Christ appear to thee.”
Meantime, we, too, like the Blessed Mother, are waiting. A servant of God summed up her life in the words: “I believe; I hope; I wait.” We wait for Him, and work while we wait; all our work directed to Him, done for Him, ready to be left the moment He calls.
Our Lord, too, is waiting and expecting. He is standing at the open door of Heaven watching and listening for our coming. The songs of praise and jubilee within do not absorb Him. He looks down to earth; follows us hither and thither; sympathises with us in every trial and care. Wishes sometimes we had a little more desire to be with Him in the Home He is preparing for us. That our hearts would catch fire by contact with His. That we could be, not resigned only to die, but filled with desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. That we would put more heart into the prayer He Himself has placed on our lips: “Thy Kingdom come.” That our constant cry could be that of the Beloved Disciple: “Come, Lord Jesus!”
IX.—Who hath brought many children unto glory.—Heb. ii.
(1) In My Father’s House there are many mansions (John 14). I go to prepare a place for you (Id). If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself that where I am you also may be (Id.).
(2) Whither I go you know and the way you know (Id.).
(3) If you be risen with Christ seek the things that are above (Coloss. 3).
(4) Mind the things that are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God (Id.). When Christ shall appear who is your life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory (Id.).
(5) Yet a little while and a very little while and He that is to come, will come, and will not delay (Heb. 10).
(6) Behold, He cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him (Apoc. 1).
(7) Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to every man according to his works (Apoc. 22).
(8) Behold, I come quickly, hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown (Apoc. 3).
(9) Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life (Apoc. 2).
(10) Surely I come quickly (Apoc. 22). Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Id.).