St. Vincent Ferrer on The Ascension of the Lord

After the resurrection he did not wish to ascend to heaven immediately, but he wished to remain in the world for forty days, that he might prove his resurrection through many arguments, and that he might instruct and teach the Apostles. And on the fortieth day after his resurrection he wished to ascend to heaven. He told them that today he wished to ascend to heaven, by which he completed the whole work of our redemption. Hearing this, the apostles began to weep. Christ said, "If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father," (Jn 14:28). "Lord, we rejoice at your honour, but we are saddened, because you leave us orphans. Because of our sadness we unable to eat. So out of love of them Christ ate, so that they might eat. "And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father," (Acts 1:4).

They all got up from the table and in procession went out to the Mount of Olives according to what Jesus said. When they had arrived on the Mount, Christ visibly appeared to them and saluted his mother and all the others saying that he wished to ascend to heaven to the Father.

The Virgin Mary who sensed the presence of the saints who were to ascend with Christ said to her son with tears that if he pleased, she would ascend with him. Christ drying her tears said, "Blessed Mother, you shall remain in my place. You shall comfort my apostles. And because of the wisdom which I shall give you, you will destroy heresies which arise. Because of this it is said of the Virgin Mary, "Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, you alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world," (Antiphon, Little Office of the B.V.M.).

And the apostles asked that they might ascend with him, lest he leave them orphans. He said, "Going therefore, teach all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you," (Mt 28:19-20). "I will not leave you orphans," (Jn 14:18), "Behold I am with you," namely in the Sacrament of the Altar, "all days, even to the consummation of the world," (Mt 28:20).

Finally Mary Magdalen said to him, "O Lord, I was a great baroness, and now I am a pauper. Therefore, please, may I ascend with you." And Christ said, "You shall be the companion of my mother." When Jesus was raised off the ground, and began to ascend, the apostles asked him, saying: "Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). "Lord, will you come quickly to give the reign to Israel?" Christ responded, "It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father has put in his own power. But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem," (Acts 1:7-8). When he was already ascending, they looked up at him and said, "Lord, give us a blessing." "And lifting up his hands, he blessed them," (Lk 24:50), just as the priest after mass gives a blessing to the people.