Category: 21.v.22 Easter V

May the immense goodness of our God be ever praised and blessed for having given us this so great, so tender, so loving a Mother and Advocate.

In the Ascension of our Blessed Lord we contemplate how, forty days after His Resurrection, He ascended into Heaven in triumph, surrounded by great glory, in the sight of His holy Mother and His disciples. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, 0 eternal gates; and the King of glory shall enter in-(Ps. xxiii. 7). O Paradise! O Paradise! When, O Lord, shall I see Thee face to face, and embrace Thee, without fear of ever losing Thee?

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints-(Ps. cxv. 15). St. Bernard says that the death of the just is called precious, because it is the end of labour and the gate of life. To the Saints death is a reward, because it is the end of sufferings, pains, struggles, and the fear of losing God.

St. Germanus, recognising in Mary the source of all our good, and that she delivers us from every evil, thus invokes her: “0, my sovereign Lady, thou alone art the one whom God has appointed to be my solace here below; thou art the guide of my pilgrimage, the strength of my weakness, the riches of my poverty, remedy for the healing of my wounds, the relief of my pains, the end of my captivity, the hope of my salvation! Hear my prayers, have pity on my tears, I conjure thee, O thou who art my Queen, my refuge, my love, my help, my hope and my strength.”

This is to enter into the joy of the Lord; that is, to enjoy the enjoyment of God, as is promised to His faithful servants: Well done, thou good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things .. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord-(Matt. xxv. 23).