Today we are celebrating the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. Each Sunday we profess in the creed, He Ascended into Heaven. Christ Ascension is culmination of God’s divine plan for Jesus. His return to his father with his Mission accomplished.
All the work of Jesus had done for us and for our salvation, it is a culmination but not the conclusion, as he is with God and Glory is now with us through Spirit. As we profess in the creed, continuous to work for our salvation to the spirit, thus in the Pascal Mystery Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit from one unbroken reality, which is to be understood by Faith.
Why did Jesus leave his disciples forty days after his resurrection? Forty is a significant number in the Scriptures.
Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting.
The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land.
Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God.
For forty days after his resurrection Jesus appeared numerous times to his disciples to assure them that he had risen indeed and to prepare them for the task of carrying on the work which he began during his earthy ministry.
Today’s readings mainly focus on the Mission of our Lord Jesus gave to his Disciples.
Acts 1:1-11, Jesus instructs his Apostles to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the baptism by the Holy Spirit so that they might become his witnessers to the ends of the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Second reading Paul tells us to be humble, kind and Patient and bear with one another with love. Paul the Apostle reminds us that we are called to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Just as ambassadors are appointed to represent their country and to speak on behalf of their nation’s ruler, we, too are appointed by the Lord Jesus to speak on his behalf and to bring others into a close and personal encounter with the Lord and Ruler of heaven and earth.
The Gospel is the power of God, the power to release people from their burden of sin, guilt, and oppression, and the power to heal, restore, and make us whole. Jesus’ departure and ascension into heaven was both an end and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus’ physical presence with his beloved disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus’ presence with them in a new way. Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time (Matthew 28:20).
The Lord Jesus gives us new life in his Spirit and he strengthens us in faith, hope and love so we can serve him and carry on his work as citizens of his kingdom here on earth. Jesus’ last words to his disciples point to the key mission and task he has entrusted to his followers on earth – to be his witnesses and ambassadors to the ends of the earth so that all peoples, tribes, and nations may hear the good news that Jesus Christ has come to set us free from sin, Satan, and death and has won for us a kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness that will last forever.
Amen
Fr John Paul Pasala
Parish Priest
