And the eleven went up to Galilee, to the mountain whither Jesus had commanded them;

I think to the Mount of Beatitudes. If this is so, then here too the beginning of the Blessed News merges with its end in the circle of eternity.

It is very likely that this phenomenon in Matthew's testimony coincides with Paul's (1 Cor. 15:b): "At once he appeared to more than five hundred brethren."

… He went up to the mountain, and when He sat down, the disciples came to Him.

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matt. 5:1-5).

It is the same time of the year now, on the last day of the Lord, as then, on the first, the beginning of April; the same place –

The sun also rises from behind the bare and red-hot peaks of Gilead, and the lake, still shady in a deep hollow between the mountains, sleeps like a child in a cradle. Both the sky and the mountains are reflected in the mirror of the waters with such clarity that if you look at them for a long time, it seems that those reflected are real. And everything is desolate and solemnly silent on earth and in heaven, as in the bridegroom's palace prepared for the wedding feast and waiting for guests: everything is ready, come to the wedding feast It was once, in time, and will always be, in eternity.

XIV

… On the mountain... (the disciples) went where Jesus commanded them.

And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him...

And Jesus drew near, and said unto them, All power in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...

And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. (Matt. 28:16-20.)

This is another last word to all mankind. When and whence Jesus ascended, we do not know; perhaps from the same place, from the Mount of Beatitudes, where he began to proclaim to people the kingdom of God.

… And he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

And when he was blessing them, he began to depart from them and ascend to heaven. (Luke 24:50-51.)

Slowly moving away, he still blesses them; they still see His face. But further, farther on, and they no longer see, they see only a diminishing body – as if a child – a baby – a dove – a butterfly – a midge – and completely disappeared. But they still stare intently, greedily into the empty sky, searching with their eyes in the void.

In the same intent, greedy way we gaze into the empty sky, but where for them the last point of His ascending body has disappeared, for us the first point of His descending body will appear; he moved away from them – he draws closer to us; There was a separation - there will be a date.