Her children rose up and called her blessed
(Prov. xxxi. 28)
When our Lord ascended into Heaven, we are
told that the Apostles went back to Jerusalem with
great joy (St. Luke xxxiv. 52). But there was
none of them so joyful as Mary. Her sacred heart
overflowed with happiness and delight. The greatest possible joy for her was thus to witness the
triumph of her Son and to hear the angels welcoming the King of glory to His throne in Heaven.
Yet Mary's life must have been one long desire
after Heaven, more so than ever after Jesus had
ascended. Still she had no wish even for the
Heavenly Paradise so long as it was God's will that
she should remain on earth. She was quite content to wait. Am I resigned and patient when the
will of God contradicts my inclinations and desires?
Why was Mary left on earth? To comfort
and sustain, to instruct and advise the first disciples of Christ. None knew like her the secrets
of His Sacred Heart, none had such an instinctive
perception of what He would desire in the many
doubts and difficulties that arose, none could impart such sweet consolation to the afflicted. How
often the disciples in her beheld their Mother! In
Heaven she is still our comforter, adviser, guide.
The Mother sits all worshipful,
With her majestic mien;
The princes of the infant Church
Are gathered round their Queen.