9781644135945

The Light of the World
whole Church, to which He is intimately united; and we pray with Him and through Him. Then
we shall receive, we shall find, it will be opened to us.
Prayer
Kindly grant our prayers, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that while we receive Thy gifts in tribulation,
we may increase in love for Thee through our consolation. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Postcommunion.)
Wednesday
Vigil of the Ascension
Today we live with our Lord and Savior. The thought that concerns Him most today is the
realization: “I come to Thee,” to the Father. The Son knocks at the door of the Father and begs
admission for Himself and for His disciples.
“Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son may glorify Thee. . . . I have glorified
Thee on earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do; and now glorify Thou
Me, O Father, with Thyself, with the glory which I had before the world was” (Gospel). Christ
asks His Father to let His human nature share in that glory which He possessed as the Son of
God from all eternity. How completely He has humbled Himself! Although He was God, at
the moment of His Incarnation He took on our lowly human nature and “emptied Himself,
taking the form of a servant. . . . He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to
the death of the cross” (Phil 2:7 f.). By a life of poverty, humility, and suffering, and by complete
subjection to the will of the Father, He has fulfilled the task which was given to Him. Now He
returns to the Father, and we share His feelings and His joy. We join in His prayer to the Father:
“Father, . . . glorify Thy Son” as He has glorified Thee. Give also to His humanity the glory that
is justly His. Exalt Him above the world and above the highest heavens. Take Him to Thyself
and set His throne at the right hand of Thy majesty. Let the scepter of His power extend to the
ends of the earth. Let Him rule in the human nature He has assumed as King and Master, and let
every knee bow to Him, “of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth” (Phil 2:10).
Let His name and His gospel be made known to all mankind. Let all men be incorporated in
Him, that they may feel the power of His salvation and may be saved through Him. Prepare for
Him a spouse pure and spotless, a holy and blessed Church. Make that Church holy, universal,
mighty, and invincible. Give Him power over souls, over hearts, over peoples, and over all ages.
Let all offer sacrifice to Him, and may He extend His sway over all men. May He save all men
and give them life, that they may possess it in its fullness.
“I have manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the world. Thine
they were, and to Me Thou gavest them, and they have kept Thy word. Now they have known
that all things which Thou hast given Me are from Thee; because the words which Thou gavest
Me, I have given to them; and they have received them, and they have known in very deed
that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me. I pray for them;
I pray not for the world, but for them whom Thou hast given Me; because they are Thine and
all My things are Thine, and Thine are Mine” (Gospel). We belong to Him as the members of
the body belong to the head. He cannot go to His Father without us. He desires that we, His
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