"_All these were persevering with one mind in prayer, with the women, and Mary the Mother of JESUS, and with His brethren._" (Acts i. 14.) _1st Prelude._ (1) A picture of the Ascension--Our Lady kissing the Footprints. (2) A picture of the Descent of the Holy Ghost--a tongue of fire resting on the head of Our Lady, who is seated in the midst of the Apostles. _2nd Prelude._ Grace to enter into the dispositions of Mary. _Point I._--MARY ON ASCENSION DAY Many, no doubt, were the visits that JESUS paid to His Blessed Mother during the forty days that His glorified Body still lingered in this world of ours, as though He were loath to leave it. He was bracing her up for the time of exile that lay before her, filling her with stores of consolation upon which she would be able to draw in her times of desolation. She probably knew that the fortieth day was the last, and that, when He led His little flock out "as far as Bethania," it was His last walk with them. She knew of the "mountain appointed" where He wished all His brethren to assemble--"more than five hundred at once." (1 Cor. xv. 6.) She heard His last words, heard Him charge His _witnesses_: "Going, therefore, teach (_make disciples of_) all nations: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." (St Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.) She was not to be a witness--though she was ever the silent witness of His Humanity--but it was only fitting that she should hear all the orders that were given to her children. She heard of the promise of the Father, and that they were to stay in the city till it was fulfilled. She saw Him lift up His hands in blessing--the last blessing; she watched with the rest His glorified Body raised up from their midst--watched till "a cloud received Him out of their sight," then she knelt in humble acquiescence to GOD'S will and kissed the ground where He had just stood--the favoured bit of earth which was the last to be touched by His blessed Feet. When she looked up, it was to see two angels asking the astonished disciples why they were gazing into Heaven, and telling them that the same JESUS who was taken up from them into Heaven would so come again as they had seen Him go. It was not to _her_ that the angels were speaking--_she_ was not gazing up. She _knew_ the lesson that the others were being taught, knew that her Son was already in Heaven, sitting at the right hand of GOD. (St Mark xvi. 19.) When the Apostles realised sufficiently what had happened, they, "adoring, went back to Jerusalem with joy," (St Luke xxiv. 52), and Mary led them to the Cenacle to "wait for the promise of the Father," as her Son had bidden them.