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Mary’s life after Jesus’ ascension into heaven
How did Mary spend her time in the years after her Son’s departure to heaven? St. Alphonsus speculates.
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, Mary remained on earth to give her attention to the spreading of the Faith. For this reason, the disciples of our Lord turned to her. She solved their doubts, comforted them in their persecutions, and encouraged them to labor for the glory of God and the salvation of redeemed souls. Mary willingly remained on earth, knowing that it was the will of God for her to do so, and for the good of the Church. But she must have felt the pain of being far from the presence and sight of her beloved Son, who had ascended to heaven. “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Lk 12:34), said the Redeemer. Where anyone believes his treasure and his happiness to be, there he always holds firmly the love and desires of his heart.
Mary loved no other good than Jesus. Since he was in heaven, all her desires were in heaven. Johannes Tauler says: “Heaven was the room of the heavenly and most Blessed Virgin Mary. Since she was there with all her desires and affec- tions, she made it her continual home. “Her school was eternity, for she was always detached and free from possessions that pass away. Her teacher was divine truth, for her whole life was guided by this alone. Her book was the purity of her own conscience, in which she always found occasion to rejoice in the Lord.
“Her mirror was God, for she never allowed any thoughts into her soul except for those that were transformed into and clothed with God, so that she might always conform herself to his will. Her adornment was devotion, for she focused her attention solely on her interior sanctification, and she was always ready to fulfil the divine commands. Her rest was union with God, for he alone was her treasure, and the resting place of her heart.” —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary
IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
How might I learn from Mary to make heaven my home, eternity my school, divine truth my teacher, and God my mirror and my rest?
CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of Venerable Pope Pius XII: Mary, crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! Fragrant lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! Conqueror of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin!
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