Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/781



ETURNING from  Mount  Olivet  on  the  day  of  the  Ascension, the apostles  repaired  to  the  upper  chamber,  or  supperroom,  of  the  house  in  which  they  usually  assembled. There they remained  in  prayer  for  ten  days,  with  Mary,  the  Mother  of Jesus,  several  other  holy  women,  and  a great  number  of  disciples, the number  of  persons  being  about  one  hundred  and  twenty.

During those  ten  days  of  prayer,  Peter,  rising  up,  said  it was  necessary,  according  to  the  scripture  which  the  Holy  Ghost spoke before  by  the  mouth  of  David  concerning  Judas  (Ps.  68, 26  and  108,  8),  that  a new  apostle  should  be  chosen  in  his stead, one  of  those  “who  had  companied  with  us  all  the  time that the  Lord  Jesus  came  in  and  went  out  among  us  from  the baptism of  John  until  the  day  wherein  He  was  taken  up  from  us.” Two of the  disciples  were  then  proposed:  Joseph,  called  Barsabas,