For forty days, dear children, our risen Lord visited with His Apostles....
When they least expected it, Jesus would appear among them suddenly. How happy were the Apostles in His holy Presence! Our Lord commanded His Apostles to go forth and convert the world, baptizing all in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. He gave them and their successors the power to forgive sin. Jesus told them also of the suffering and persecution that they would have to bear for His dear sake, and promised to stay with them, always strengthening them by His grace and His love. Many and beautiful were the talks which our Lord had with His chosen followers. After the last time that all assembled in Jerusalem, our Lord led them out to the Mount of Olives. Then like a kind and loving Father, he waited until all the Apostles were gathered about Him. He raised His Sacred Hands where the Wounds now shone with brilliant light. He blessed His faithful children, and slowly ascended toward Heaven where a cloud received Him out of there sight. They fell on their knees adoring and glorifying their Lord and Saviour. Joy now fills the hearts of the Apostles. But why should they be so happy? Had not Jesus gone away from them? Yes, dear children, but they remember the promise of our Lord, that He would be with them and with us always. We cannot see Jesus with our bodily eyes, It is true, dear children, but oh, He is so close to us on the Altar. There we can go and talk with Him as did the Apostles on earth. We can tell Him that we love Him very, very much; and how can we show this love? By keeping His commandments, by being Apostles in our own little way, going about through life and helping others to love our Lord. We can have a special devotion to our Mother of Sorrows, and as we grieve with her at the foot of the Cross, so can we also rejoice and be happy with her in the resurrection of Jesus. The Blessed Mother is now the Queen of Angels and of the Saints, the bright Queen of Heaven seated on a throne of everlasting happiness at the side of her Divine Son; let us pray to her every day of our lives, not only for ourselves, but for all who are near and dear to us; for the poor, and the unfortunate, and most of all for sinners, so that when the resurrection comes for us we may all rise with bright and glorious bodies, and we may ascend free from sin and corruption to enjoy eternal happiness in Heaven with Jesus and His Blessed Mother. ~ “Bible Stories for Children”, Imprimatur 1916 ~
