as it were, lifeless; but recovering myself, I stood mourning and suffering so patiently, that neither my enemies nor any others beheld any thing but gravity in me. My fourth suffering was in the touch: for I with others took my Son down from the cross, wrapped him up, and laid him in the tomb; and thus my grief increased, so that my hands and feet had scarce strength to bear me. Oh, how gladly would I then have been laid beside my Son! Fifthly, I suffered by a vehement desire of joining my Son, after he ascended to heaven; because the long delay which I had in this world, after his Ascension, increased my grief. Sixthly, I suffered from the tribulations of the Apostles and friends of God, ever fearing and grieving: fearing that they might yield to temptations and tribulations; grieving because my Son’s words were everywhere contradicted. But though the grace of God always persevered with me, and my will always conformed to the will of God, yet my grief was constantly mingled with consolation, till ‘I was assumed, body and soul, to my Son in heaven. Let not, then, this grief leave thy heart, for without tribulation few would reach heaven. — Lib. vi., c. 57.
