109. The Death of the Blessed Virgin 圣母离世

The Apostles disperse to teach of Jesus in far off countries.

The Blessed Virgin erects the stations of the Holy Way of the Cross near her home in Ephesus.

109.  圣母离世

宗徒分散到许多遥远的国家传扬耶稣。

圣母在厄弗所的家附近建立了十字苦路的十四处。

As the Blessed Virgin felt her end approaching, in accordance with the directions of her Divine Son, she called the Apostles to her by prayer. She was now in her sixty-third year. At the time of Christ' s birth, she was in her fifteenth. Before His Ascension Jesus had made known to His most holy Mother what she should say at the end of her earthly career to the Apostles and some of the disciples who should be with her.

当圣母觉得她的寿终临近时，按照她至圣圣子的指示，她通过祈祷召唤了宗徒。现在她已经六十三岁了。 基督诞生时，她十五岁。 在耶稣升天之前，耶稣已经让祂至洁的母亲知道她在尘世生涯结束时，她应该对宗徒和一些应该与她在一起的门徒说些什么。

He told her also that she should bless them, and that it would conduce very much to their welfare and eternal salvation. He entrusted to her also certain spiritual labors for the general good, which being accomplished, her longing after Heaven was to be realized. Jesus had at the same time made known to Magdalen that she was to live concealed in the wilderness and that Martha was to establish a community of women. He added that He Himself would always be with them.　(Vol. 4, pp. 458-459)

主还告诉她，她应该祝福他们，这对他们的福祉和永恒的救赎非常有帮助。主也将某些属灵工作委托给她，为所有基督徒的利益，一旦完成，她对天堂的渴望就会实现。耶稣同时告诉玛达肋纳她要隐居在旷野，而玛尔大要建立一个妇女团体。 主补充说，祂自己将永远与他们同在。　（第 4 卷，第 458-459 页）

Three years after the Crucifixion all the Apostles met in Jerusalem, after which Peter and John left the city and Mary accompanied the latter to Ephesus. Then arose in Jerusalem the persecution against Lazarus, Martha, and Magdalen. The last-named had up to that time been doing penance in the desert, in the cave to which Elizabeth had escaped with John during the massacre of the Innocents.

耶稣被钉十字架受难三年后，所有宗徒在耶路撒冷会面，之后伯多禄和若望离开了这座城市，圣母被若望陪同前往厄弗所。 然后在耶路撒冷兴起了对拉匝禄、玛尔大和玛达肋纳的迫害。 到那时为止，玛达肋纳一直在沙漠的一个山洞做补赎，就是在黑落德王屠杀无辜婴儿期间，依撒伯尔与小若翰躲避过的那个山洞。

The Apostles, in that first reunion, brought together all that belonged to the body of the Church. When half of the time of Mary's life after Christ's Ascension had flown, about the sixth year after that event, the Apostles were again assembled in Jerusalem. It was then they drew up the Creed, made rules, relinquished all that they possessed, distributed it to the poor, and divided the Church into dioceses, after which they separated and went into far-off heathen countries. At Mary's death they all met again for the last time. When they again separated for distant countries, it was until death.

(Vol. 4, pp. 7-8)

宗徒们在第一次重聚中，将所有属于教会奥体的人聚集在一起。基督升天后圣母生命的一半时间已经过去了，大约在耶稣升天后的第六年，宗徒们再次聚集在耶路撒冷。就在那时，他们制定了宗徒信经，制定了教规，舍弃了他们所拥有的一切财物，分发给穷人，并将圣教会划分为教区，然后他们散开并前往遥远的异教国家。在圣母去世时，宗徒们再次见面，且是最后一次。 以后他们再次散开，奔向遥远的国家传教，直到死亡。（第 4 卷，第 7-8 页）