37 —The Parting Advice.

The Parting Advice.

Read Acts i. 1-5.

[1] The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, [2] Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up. [3] To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God. [4] And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth. [5] For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.

1. Our Lord, before His Passion, had promised His apostles they should not be left desolate, but that He would send the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, to lead them into all truth. Now that He leaves them, He renews His promise. They had not understood it when it was first made; but now it begins to dawn upon them that some wondrous power was to descend from heaven, and to fill them with strength, wisdom, prudence, and authority to carry out the task entrusted to them. God never calls men to a work without giving them all the gifts necessary to carry it out. This should be my consolation if I am inclined to despond at my own weakness.

2. But, for this gift they were to wait — “Stay in the city till you be endued with power from on high.” This was to be their first lesson — to wait. It is not an easy lesson. We are so impatient and impulsive! We do not like waiting; we want to go to work at once, to see results without delay. But we must learn the lesson Christ taught the apostles, and wait.

3. To wait is the secret of success in spiritual things. Those who are willing to wait, always get what they want. We have always to wait for God’s best gifts. All the saints had to wait. Our Lady and St. Joseph, above all, had to wait. Why should we be downcast if we appear to fail? It is only that God is keeping us waiting. “Oh, wait on the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thy heart.”