"And so if He spent forty days with His Disciples, He did not without reason spend forty days with them. Perhaps twenty might have been enough; thirty would have sufficed; but forty days is the divine arrangement for this whole world. On occasions we have treated of this point, in relation to the denary number multiplied by four. I shall recall it to those of you who heard me. The denary number signifies the fulness of wisdom. This wisdom is distributed throughout the four parts of the world; over the whole earth; and the fourfold times are disposed in due order. For the year has four seasons; and the world four cardinal points. Ten then multiplied by four gives us the number forty.
Because of this the Lord fasted for forty days; to show us that as long as we are in the world the faithful must abstain from all corruption. Elias, representing in his person the dignity of prophecy, fasted for forty days (III Kings xix. 8); showing that this is also taught in prophecy. Moses, in his own person standing for the Law, fasted for forty days; showing us that this is taught also in the Law (Ex. xxiv. 28). For forty years the people of Israel were led in the desert (Num. xxxii. 12). For forty days the Ark was tossed upon the Flood; which Ark is a figure of the Church: made from imperishable wood; for imperishable wood are the souls of the saints and the just; which Ark also has within it both clean and unclean animals; for as long as we live in this world, and the Church is made clean by baptism as by a flood, She cannot be without both good and bad; and so the former Ark had within it both clean and unclean animals.
But after Noah emerged from the Ark he offered no sacrifices to God save from the animals that were clean (Gen. vi-viii). From which we are to understand that though in this Ark also there are clean and unclean, after this flood God accepts those only who have made themselves clean. Therefore, brethren, consider all this time you now see passing as but forty days. All this time, as long as men are in this world, the Ark is in the Flood; as long as Christians are baptized and made clean through water, the Ark, which for forty days was tossed upon the waters, is seen upon the waves.
The Lord remaining with His Disciples for forty days deigned by this to show us that belief in the Incarnation is necessary for all men throughout this time; and this is needed because we are weak. [...] Therefore as the Plan of the Incarnation of Christ, by which we go towards the Lord, is necessary to the faithful in this life, so when we have come to this glorious vision of the Word, this whole fleshly dispensation will no longer be necessary. And so His dwelling on earth for forty days after His Resurrection, that He might show us, that as long as the Ark is seen to toss upon the Flood of this present life, so long shall faith in the Incarnation of Christ be necessary to salvation."
Source: Quote from "The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers" (St. Augustine's Sermon for Ascension Day, "The Mystery of the Lord's Ascension"), Volume II, pages 421-422; Henry Regnery Company (copyright 1958); Imprimatur: E. Morrogh Bernard, Vic. Gen., Westmonasterii; Nihil Obstat: Hubertus Richards, S.T.L., L.S.S., Censor Deputatus
CALL TO ACTION: Contemplate that only 8 entered the Ark and that FEW are saved.
Photo by M. DiFulvio