Expectation Week

Summary

The Week after the Ascention of our Lord is called Expectation Week : becaus now the Apostles were Earnestly Expecting the fulfilling of the Promise of our Lord, If I go, I will send the Comforter unto you.

Consider how the Apostles moved by the Spirit of God, recollected themselvs in that Chamber for the space of those ten Days between the Ascention and the Coming of the H. Ghost : Retiring from the Noise and Tumult of the People, Exercising themselves in fervent Prayer, talking of those Things with Joy and Wonder which had befaln in our Savior and Disposing themselvs with Reverence to Receiv the Gift which was promised to be given them. For tho they Knew He was promised, yet they well knew that Divine Promises are Accomplished by the Means of Prayer and attained by Meditation. Which Prayer is then most prevailing when Persons Religiously Affected, having one Heart and one Mind are all together Asking the same Thing. for where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there I am in the midst of them. Helping them to pray, and Exercising the Office of an Advocat for them.

As they were united in God to each other, so were they perseverant in union to our Savior. Remembering His Words, How it behoveth us to pray always, and not to faint. Whom, becaus He did not assign them the Time when He would giv them the H. Ghost, therfore they Prayed Daily, multiplying the same with so great fervor, as if they had been to receiv Him that very Hour.

Meditat also O my Soul, that this Chamber figured the Church, which is the House of Prayer and Union. Endeavor therfore to becom like these H. Apostles ; in all the vertues of Unity, Lov, Devotion, Retirement, Perseverance ; and place thy self among them praising God, who hath placed Thee in His Church wherin Thou dost never Pray alone, tho alone, becaus the Church prayeth for all, and all for evry one, and evry one for Thee, and Thou with evry one.

Open my Mouth O Lord to pray acceptably to thy Divine Majesty. Cleans my Heart from all Sin ; and free my Soul from all Distractions.