MAY 13, 2018 : THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

The Ascension of the Lord
Lectionary: 58

Reading 1ACTS 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for "the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

When they had gathered together they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

Responsorial Psalm PS 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2EPH 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

or

 EPH 4:1-13 OR 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters,
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit
through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ's gift. 
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ. 

or

Brothers and sisters,
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling
you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ's gift. 

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ. 

AlleluiaMT 28:19A, 20B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMK 16:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

www.usccb.org

Meditation: "The Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven"

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.

The Risen Lord Jesus is with us always to the end of time
Jesus' departure and ascension 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). Now as the glorified and risen Lord and Savior, ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, Jesus promised to send them the Holy Spirit who would anoint them with power on the Feast of Pentecost, just as Jesus was anointed for his ministry at the River Jordan. When the Lord Jesus departed physically from the apostles, they were not left in sorrow or grief. Instead, they were filled with joy and with great anticipation for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Risen Lord empowers us to carry on his work
Jesus' last words to his apostles point to his saving mission and to their mission to be witnesses of his saving death and his glorious resurrection and to proclaim the good news of salvation to all the world. Their task is to proclaim the Gospel - the good news of salvation - not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations as well. God's love and gift of salvation is not reserved for a few or for one nation alone, but it is for the whole world - for all who will accept it. The Gospel is the power of God, the power to release people from their burden of guilt, sin, and oppression, and the power to heal, restore, and make us whole. Do you believe in the power of the Gospel?

We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ
This is the great commission which the risen Christ gives to the whole church. All believers have been given a share in this task - to be heralds of the good news and ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the only savior of the world. We have not been left alone in this task, for the risen Lord works in and through us by the power of his Holy Spirit. Today we witness a new Pentecost as the Lord pours out his Holy Spirit upon his people to renew and strengthen the body of Christ and to equip it for effective ministry and mission world-wide. Do you witness to others the joy of the Gospel and the hope of the resurrection?

“Lord Jesus, through the gift of your Holy Spirit, you fill us with an indomitable spirit of praise and joy which no earthly trial can subdue. Fill me with your resurrection joy and help me to live a life of praise and thanksgiving for your glory. May I witness to those around me the joy of the Gospel and the reality of your great victory over sin and death.”

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus ascends to heaven in his body - divine and human nature, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"You heard what came to our ears just now from the Gospel: 'Lifting up his hands, he blessed them. And it happened, while he was blessing them he withdrew from them, and was carried up to heaven.' Who was carried up to heaven? The Lord Christ was. Who is the Lord Christ? He is the Lord Jesus. What is this? Are you going to separate the human from the divine and make one person of God, another of the man, so that there is no longer a trinity of three but a quaternary of four? Just as you, a human being, are soul and body, so the Lord Christ is Word, soul and body. The Word did not depart from the Father. He both came to us and did not forsake the Father. He both took flesh in the womb and continued to govern the universe. What was lifted up into heaven, if not what had been taken from earth? That is to say, the very flesh, the very body, about which he was speaking when he said to the disciples, 'Feel, and see that a spirit does not have bones and flesh, as you can see that I have' (Luke 24:39).  Let us believe this, brothers and sisters, and if we have difficulty in meeting the arguments of the philosophers, let us hold on to what was demonstrated in the Lord's case without any difficulty of faith. Let them chatter, but let us believe." (excerpt from Sermon 242,6)

www.dailyscripture.net

Solemnity of the Ascension – Cycle B

Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.

Introduction

The revelation we celebrate on this day is that the direct experience of God revealed to men and women in Jesus of Nazareth continues to be experienced when the Body of Christ, the Church, gathers in witness, love and mission. Jesus brought power and hope to people. As He talked, healed, and loved them, they felt the direct presence of God. To be in the company of Jesus was to be in the company of God. Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. Those appearances were more than their seeing a vision or acknowledging that death could not destroy the Lord. In His appearances Jesus told His disciples that the faithful would continue to experience His presence even though they could no longer see Him. The Holy Spirit would make them aware and sensitive to that presence in the Eucharist. They would feel the same healing power freeing them from their enslavement to sin and guilt. Their vision of life would be enlarged as they grew in their covenant relationship with God.

To say “My life has significance because I am a child of God called to carry out His will in my life” is to make a statement that opens one’s life to new power and possibilities. Experiencing Jesus the Christ, in other words, was not to cease with the death of Jesus or with the last of His resurrection appearances. The experience would continue among the faithful. The power and presence of Christ are eternal experiences, not limited to time and space. The presence of Christ is as much our experience as it was the experience of the disciples. Christ “reigns” eternally with God, the creative power who calls us into being. As we say in the Creed “... He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”

1st Reading - Acts 1:1-11

Acts has been called “The Gospel of Luke, Volume 2” in that it takes over from where St. Luke stopped when writing his gospel with the ascension forming the hinge point. St. Luke, an educated man, a physician by profession, was meticulous and orderly. He sets out in Acts, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to prove the truth of the Apostles’ teaching and show how rapidly that teaching spread. It recounts the Church’s expansion which, particularly among the Gentiles, was marked by miracles; thus bearing out what our Lord had foretold: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Today’s reading, which documents Jesus’ ascension, records Jesus’ last words to His disciples which includes this foretelling of the expansion of His Church.

1:1 In the first book,

The Gospel of Luke

Theophilus,

Who Theophilus is, is unknown although both Luke’s gospel and this book are addressed to him.

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered,

Greek: paschein - usually translated as “passion,” is translated here as “suffered.” It refers to Jesus’ integral passion-death experience.

appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Forty in Hebrew numerology is a number representing transition/change. Forty years is a generation; the flood was 40 days and 40 nights; Moses was on the mountain for 40 days; the Hebrews wandered in the desert for 40 years; Jesus was tempted for 40 days.

4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak;

Luke 24:49 “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.”

This refers back to John’s statement in Luke 3:16 (or Matthew 3:11) “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” This precisely demonstrates the prophecy’s fulfillment and makes John the Baptist the herald of the Church as well as of the Messiah.

6 When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

This question is of present concern to Luke’s community. What is being stressed as the disciple’s mistaken hope is not a “worldly, nationalistic” kingdom as much as a hope of an immediate parousia, to which the outpouring of the Spirit was to lead.

7 He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.

It is the preoccupation of an impending parousia that Jesus corrects, not the idea of Israel’s restoration (see also Mark 13:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

8 But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you,

The Spirit is the substitute for the parousia. The Spirit is the principle of continued Christian existence in a new era of sacred history, the era of the Church and mission.

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jerusalem is the geographic center of sacred history and the influence of the Church will spread in three geographical stages: Jerusalem; Judea and Samaria; the ends of the earth.

9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

A visible departure

10    While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

Luke does everything in twos. This brings to mind the finding of the empty tomb in Luke 24:4 and the transfiguration in Luke 9:30; especially the empty tomb where they ask “why do you look for the living among the dead?”.

11    They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

The ascension is a prefiguration of the parousia.

2nd Reading - Ephesians 1:17-23

Toward the end of his second missionary journey (in the year A.D. 52) Saint Paul stayed for a while in Ephesus (Acts 18:19ff), one of the great cities of Asia Minor, where he preached and founded the church to which this letter is addressed. Shortly after this, a distinguished personality, Apollos, appeared in Ephesus; he received instruction from Aquila and his wife Priscilla, two disciples of Paul (Acts 18:24-26) and he, in turn, prepared the ground for Paul’s preaching on his third missionary journey (54-56). Paul’s visit was not without incident (Acts 19-20): he was forced to leave the city because of an uproar caused by Demetrius the silversmith. Paul did not forget the Ephesians, however, and, from Rome, he wrote them this letter. Paul’s main purpose in writing seems to be to explore the great mystery of the redemption, of which Christ Himself is the cornerstone, the foundation of the entire spiritual building into whom all Christians should be built. What we hear described in today’s reading is Jesus’ position in heaven after the ascension.

17 [May] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

The phrase “Father of glory” occurs only here in the New Testament, but Acts 7:2 calls Him
“God of glory” and 1 Corinthians 2:8 says “Lord of glory.”

give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.

Not knowledge merely of God’s plan, but knowledge “of Him”, an experience of God’s great love for men in Christ that would be visibly shown in a true brotherhood of men.

18 May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy one

The members of His Church. Not only the Church on earth (Church Militant) but in purgatory (Church Suffering) and in heaven as well (Church Triumphant).

19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe,

God’s mighty power overcomes humanly impossible obstacles.

in accord with the exercise of his great might, 20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,

The raising and seating are one continuous action.

21 far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,

Angelic beings who were thought to control the world and who were created through the wisdom of God.

and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come.

No present or future force or power can block God’s work.

22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

The Church is the body, Christ is the head.

Alternate 2nd Reading - Ephesians 4:1-13

Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians divides itself naturally into two parts: The 1st part extends from 1:3 through the end of chapter 3; and the 2nd part encompasses chapter 4 through 6:9. Part one is called the doctrinal section and addresses the mystery of God’s plan to make Christ the head of a new brotherhood of man, a brotherhood which embraces both Jew and Gentile. The 2nd part of Ephesians talks of the Christian life: Unity and growth in the body of Christ, principles for spiritual renewal, and application for the Christian home. Our reading for today talks of unity and growth in the body of Christ, His Church.

4:1 I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

Saint Paul begins by stating a general principle: a Christian’s conduct should be consistent with the calling he has received from God.

2 with all humility and gentleness,

In Greek lists, humility was not a virtue. Christ, however, raised self-effacing service to others to the dignity of a virtue by His example.

with patience, bearing with one another through love,

Our actions toward others are to show patience by being slow to retaliate (1 Corinthians 13:4; Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:12).

3    striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace:

The unity of the Church, the 1st of its 4 marks (one, holy, catholic, apostolic), has as its source the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the single inner source of the Christian life and as such is continually moving all members toward what promotes peace and harmony. The letter to the Ephesians is the epistle of Christian unity as we will see in a moment as we hear a seven-fold litany of unity.

4    one body

One external visible community

and one Spirit,

The binding force of the unified community

as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

The community shares the hope of being saints and receiving their inheritance, life with Christ.

5 one Lord,

Christians pledge obedience to one master. Because of its Jewish roots, the Church has always had a deep appreciation of the oneness of the God who dwells in community with us. Twice each day the Jews prayed the words of Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!”  The Jews believed that the coming of the Messiah would usher in the great revelation of God’s oneness to the world. “The LORD shall become king over the whole earth; on that day the LORD shall be the only one, and his name the only one” (Zechariah 10:9).

one faith,

The faith which He taught and which the apostles and the Church have expressed in clear statements of doctrine and dogma.

“There can be only one faith; and so, if a person refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so the Lord commands, as a heathen and a publican (see Matthew 18:17)” (Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporius, 10).

one baptism;

In 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Saint Paul uses the fact that Christians have been baptized into the one Christ and because of this there cannot be divisions in the community by adherence to human leaders. When we are baptized, we join in the community of believers as equals.

“There is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth in Christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one salvation, one hope and undivided charity. In Christ and in the Church there is, then, no inequality arising from race or nationality, social condition or sex, for ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave for free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28; see Colossians 3:11)” (Vatican II, Lumen gentium, 32).

6 one God and Father of all,

The Church is bonded together as family, we are all brothers and sisters who share the same Father.

“This is a wonderful vision which allows us to reflect on the unity of mankind: all mankind has a common origin in the Creator, as we are told, ‘one God and father of us all’ (Ephesians 4:6); moreover, all men and women share one and the same nature: all have a material body and an immortal and spiritual soul” (Pope Pius XII, Summi Pontificatus, 18).

who is over all and through all and in all.

God’s lordship and control over things means that He is the author and maintainer of their unity.

7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

The diversity of the gifts (graces, charisms) which accompany the various vocations given to the members of the Church does not undermine its unity; rather, they enhance it, because it is Christ Himself who bestows these gifts.

8 Therefore, it says: “He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men.”

Psalm 68:18 (Psalm 68:19 in the New American Bible) is quoted. The original context of the Psalm is that of God leading His people in a triumphant march through the desert into Canaan, where He effects a great victory with many captives and much spoil. Rabbinic exegesis interpreted this verse with reference to Moses, who ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Law from God and give it as a gift to mankind. With this rabbinic meaning in mind, the Psalm was read in the synagogue for Pentecost, the feast which commemorated the giving of the Law. Saint Paul gives us a Christian exegesis of the text in that Christ ascended in victory into the heavens in order to give men on earth the gift of the Spirit to be exercised in the various ministries of the Church.

9    What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended into the lower (regions) of the earth?

Common exegesis of this passage interprets the “lower regions of the earth” to be the abode of the dead (sheol, hades), as we recite in the Apostles’ Creed “... He descended into hell ...” This interpretation is supported by 1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6. Other exegetes maintain that this refers to Jesus’ incarnation and earthly life, in view of His heavenly life. The first interpretation seems the more probable to me. Being fully human, the soul of Jesus, at the moment of His death on the cross, would have descended to the abode of the dead.

10    The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

According to a Jewish tradition (2 Enoch 8) there were seven heavens. What the sacred writer is saying here is that the exalted Christ is beyond the limitations of the different heavens and that His power and active presence extends to all the universe.

11 And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

Saint Paul is here referring to ministries of teaching and government in the Church, which are performed not only in a charismatic way, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, but as a ministry which is entrusted to an individual by the glorified Lord. The “apostles” may refer to the twelve, or to a wider group (1 Corinthians 15:7; Romans 16:7) which includes others sent as missionaries to establish new Christian communities. Alongside the apostles come “prophets” who are also the bedrock of the Church, the trustees of revelation. A prophet is not someone who is “sent” but one whose role is to “up build, encourage and console” (see 1 Corinthians 14:3; Acts 13:1); to monitor the status of the covenant. The “evangelists” were ones who had not received a direct revelation but devoted themselves to preaching the Gospel which the apostles had passed on to them (Acts 21:8; 2 Timothy 4:5). The “pastors and teachers” have the role of governing and giving ongoing instruction to a particular community.

12 to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

The various gifts are given by the Spirit to men to equip all the faithful for work in Christ’s service. All the gifts are given for the benefit of the entire community. Any gift which you possess and don’t use deprives not only you of its benefit, but the entire community as well.

13 until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God,

The term “Son of God” is seldom used in the epistles (Romans 1:4; Galatians 2:20) and when it is used, it refers to Jesus in His humanity. Here, “knowledge of the Son of God” means capturing the vision of the perfect man; the man who reaches maturity in Christ by living the human life perfectly. It is developing a conscientious approach to the personal obligations which faith presupposes is the mark of maturity.

to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

The “full stature of Christ” means the Church itself and all Christians who are incorporated into the body of Christ. When a boat is “full,” it has not only full cargo holds, but a complete compliment of crew and outfitting as well.

“As members of the living Christ, incorporated into Him and made like Him by Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, all the faithful have an obligation to collaborate in the spreading and growth of His body, so that they might bring it to fullness as soon as possible” (Vatican II, Ad gentes, 36).

Gospel - Mark 16:15-20

Our gospel reading for today is the final six verses of the Gospel of Mark. This reading is itself part of a longer ending to Mark’s Gospel which does not appear in the best and earliest manuscripts which are now available. It is currently thought by some scholars that this longer ending (verses 9 through 20), is a second century compilation of appearance stories based on Luke 24.

15    He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

This is the mission of the entire Church in union with the bishops and pope. The bishops and pope are the successors to the original apostles to whom this commission was given.

16    Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Faith and baptism are prerequisites to salvation, but not the only ones. If we are to be “saved,” if we are to have eternal life, we must have a total and absolute commitment to Jesus and give Him total submission of our will and total obedience to His teachings. This means that in order to be saved we must (and this is by no means an exhaustive list):
•    Believe (John 3:15-16; Acts 16:31)
•    Be baptized (1 Peter 3:21)
•    Believe and be baptized (our reading today)
•    Believe and obey (John 3:36)
•    Keep His word (John 8:51)
•    Keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17)
•    Confess and believe (Romans 10:9)
•    Be martyred for the faith (Mark 8:25, 13:13; Luke 9:24)
•    Hear and believe (John 5:24)
•    Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned   (Matthew 25:46)
•    Accept God’s gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8)
•    Call on the name of Jesus (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13)
•    Hope (Romans 8:24)
•    Leave old life for His name’s sake (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:21-30; Luke 18:26-30; John 12:25)
•    Endure to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13)
•    Undergo purgation (1 Corinthians 3:15)
•    Love God with all your heart, soul, strength & mind, and neighbor as self (Luke 10:25-28)
•    Eat His body and drink His blood (John 6:51, 53-58)

In short, and in the last recorded words of the Blessed Virgin, one must “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). We don’t get to pick and choose from the list like a Chinese menu, taking what we like and leaving what we don’t, we must endeavor throughout our lives to do everything which He commands.

17    These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.

Taken literally, this would mean that we are to put the Lord to the test, something which is forbidden in Deuteronomy 6:16 and 1 Corinthians 10:9. Throughout the Scriptures, Satan is depicted as a serpent or dragon. What this passage means is that the well-grounded Christian can encounter Satan inspired works (heretical writings/sects) and not be affected by them but instead are able to rebuke them.

For what else are hearing, reading and copiously depositing things in the memory, than several stages of drinking in thoughts? The Lord, however, foretold concerning His faithful followers, that even ‘if they should drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them.’ And thus it happens that they who read with judgment, and bestow their approval on whatever is commendable according to the rule of faith, and disapprove of things which ought to be repudiated, even if they commit to their memory heretical statements which are declared to be worthy of disapproval, they receive no harm from the poisonous and depraved nature of these sentences.” (Saint Augustine, On the Soul and Its Origin, 2;23).

They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

These manifestations were common in the early Church (Acts 1-11; 28:3-6).

19    So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.

The place of highest honor. This is the sixth article of the Nicene Creed.

20    But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

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St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD
THURSDAY, MAY 10, MARK 16, 15-20
(Holy Day of Obligation)
​(Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:17-23)

KEY VERSE: "So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God" (v 19).
TO KNOW: After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and commissioned them to preach the Gospel throughout the world. The disciples were sent forth assured that the Lord would continue to work through them by the power of the Holy Spirit. All who believed the good news would be saved; whoever did not believe in the gospel would bring condemnation upon themselves. Forty days after Easter, Jesus ascended in glory to the "right hand" of the Father (the "right hand" is a symbol of authority and power). The feast of the Ascension commemorates the elevation of Christ's human nature into the condition of divine glory. It is the final act of Christ's work of redemption on earth. Christ's ascension gives us hope in the promise of our own ascension into heaven.
TO LOVE: How did I proclaim the good news today?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, give me faith that I will be with you in glory one day.
NOTE: In some dioceses the feast of the Ascension is transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. In that case, the readings for today are Acts 18:1-8; Psalm 98; John 16:16-20​

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Our Lady of Fatima

Saint of the Day for May 13

The Story of Our Lady of Fatima

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children–Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia dos Santos–received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia.

Mary gave the children three secrets. Following the deaths of Francisco and Jacinta in 1919 and 1920 respectively, Lucia revealed the first secret in 1927. It concerned devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The second secret was a vision of hell. When Lucia grew up she became a Carmelite nun and died in 2005 at the age of 97.

Pope John Paul II directed the Holy See’s Secretary of State to reveal the third secret in 2000; it spoke of a “bishop in white” who was shot by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows into him. Many people linked this vision to the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981.

The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop in 1930; it was added to the Church’s worldwide calendar in 2002.

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Reflection

The message of Fatima is simple: Pray. Unfortunately, some people—not Sister Lucia—have distorted these revelations, making them into an apocalyptic event for which they are now the only reliable interpreters. They have, for example, claimed that Mary’s request that the world be consecrated to her has been ignored. Sister Lucia agreed that Pope John Paul II’s public consecration in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984, fulfilled Mary’s request. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith prepared a June 26, 2000, document explaining the “third secret.”

Mary is perfectly honored when people generously imitate her response “Let it be done to me as you say” (Luke 1:38). Mary can never be seen as a rival to Jesus or to the Church’s teaching authority, as exercised by the college of bishops united with the bishop of Rome.

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LECTIO DIVINA: ASCENSION OF THE LORD (B)

Lectio Divina: 

 Sunday, May 13, 2018

Ascension of The Lord
"Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News!"
He lives in our midst!
Mark 16:15-20

1. OPENING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, You helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.

Create in us silence so that we may listen to Your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.

2. READING

a) A key to the reading:

The liturgy of the feast of the Ascension presents us with a scene where Jesus appears to the disciples and confers on them the mission of going to the whole world to proclaim the Good News. The text of Mark's Gospel (Mk 16:9-20) is the final section of the appendix of that Gospel (Mk 16:15-20). We expand the brief commentary to include the whole of the appendix. During the reading we need to pay attention to the following point: "To whom does Jesus appear, what are the various aspects of the mission and what are the signs of His presence in the community?"

b) A division of the text as an aid to the reading:

Mark 16:9-11: Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene.

Mark 16:12-13: Jesus appears to two disciples.

Mark 16:14-18: Jesus appears to the eleven and gives them a mission.

Mark 16:19-20: Jesus ascends into heaven in the presence of the disciples.

c) The text:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

3. A MOMENT OF PRAYERFUL SILENCE

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. SOME QUESTIONS

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) How do we handle discerning and verifying the news we hear today? What news today would be able to make us change our lives completely as news of the Resurrection did back then?

b) To whom does Jesus manifest Himself alive and how do they react (Mk 16:9-20)?

c) In this text, who has the greatest difficulty in believing in the resurrection?

d) As Paul says, "God brought us to life with Christ…and gave us a place with Him in heaven" (Eph 2:6). How does this affirmation help us to understand the meaning of the Ascension?

e) What are the signs of Jesus' presence within the community? What is the meaning of each sign? What is our personal involvement, reaction and response to each?

f) What signs best convince people today of the presence of Jesus in our midst?

5. A KEY TO THE READING

to enter deeper into the theme.

i) The context:

The appendix of Mark's Gospel offers a list of Jesus' appearances (Mk 16:9-20). There are other lists but they do not always coincide. The list given by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians is quite different (1Cor 15:3-8). These differences show that, in the beginning, Christians were not concerned about describing or proving the resurrection. For them, faith in the resurrection was so vivid and evident that there was no need to prove it. The communities themselves, living and persevering among so many challenges and persecutions from the Roman Empire, were living proof of the truth of the resurrection.

The people of that time were not easily convinced of things. They demanded proof all along the way, from the Pharisees to Thomas. Considerable weight must be given to the way the first communities lived out their witness. The Gospels are not a general history book. Much is also handed down through tradition (Jn 21:25). Consider, even in that time, the Jews paid to create false news stories of the Resurrection. Belief within the first communities, despite death and persecution, is more convincing than logical arguments for us today. Their radical change of life proves they experienced Jesus and the Gospel in reality.

ii) Commentary on the text:

a) Mark 16:9-11: Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, but the other disciples do not believe her.

Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene and she announces this to the others. To come into the world, God chose to depend on the yes of Mary of Nazareth (Lk 1:38). To be recognized as living in our midst, He chose to depend on the word of Mary Magdalene who had been freed from seven devils.

Mark says that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene. In this he agrees with the other three Evangelists (cf. Mt 28:9-10; Jn 20:16; Lk 24:9-11). But on the list of appearances given in the Letter to the Corinthians (1Cor 15:3-8), there is no mention of any appearances to the women. The first Christians found it difficult to believe the witness of women. This was a condition of the society at the time.

b) Mark 16:12-13: Jesus appears to two disciples

The story of Jesus' appearance to the two disciples who were walking in the fields is probably a reference to Jesus' appearance to the disciples from Emmaus who, on returning, shared their experience of the resurrection with "the eleven” and their companions (Lk 24:33-34). Only here, Mark differs from Luke because the others did not believe in the witness of the two disciples.

c) Mark 16:14: Jesus scolds the eleven for their incredulity

Finally, Jesus appears to the eleven disciples gathered at table and scolds then because they have not believed those who had seen Him risen. For the third time, Mark makes reference to the resistance of the disciples to believe the witness of those who had experienced the resurrection of Jesus. Why does Mark insist so much on the incredulity of the disciples? Probably to teach two things: first, that faith in the risen Jesus is transmitted through the faith of those who give witness to it; second, that no one must give up hope when doubt or confusion arises in one's heart. Even the eleven had doubts!

d) Mark 16:15-18: The signs that go with the proclamation of the Good News

Jesus immediately confers the mission of announcing the Good News to all creation. The requirement for anyone who wishes to be saved is this: to believe and be baptized. To those who have the courage to believe in the Good News and are baptized, He promises the following signs: (1) they will drive out devils; (2) they will speak in new tongues; (3) they will hold snakes in their hands; (4) if they drink poison it will not harm them; (5) they will lay hands on the sick and these will be healed. These signs take place even now:

* to drive out devils is to fight the power of evil that chokes life. The life of many people has improved since they entered in community and have started to live the good news of the presence of God. By participating in the life of the community, they drive out evil from their lives.

* to speak in new tongues: is to begin to communicate with others in a new way. Sometimes we meet someone whom we have never met before, but it is as if we have known each other for a long time. This is because we speak the same language of love. The way of thinking about others and speaking to them is different than what our original inclination was.

* to hold snakes in one's hand and to overcome poison: there are so many things that poison our life and living together. Gossip breaks down relationships for instance, as does envy, hate, pride, and many others. Those who live in the presence of God can overcome these deadly poisons. “Snakes”, as in serpents, can refer back to the devil’s interaction in the Garden. We are able to restrain these demons who attack us.

* to heal the sick: wherever we have a clearer awareness of the presence of God, we find also special care for those excluded and marginalized, especially the sick. What best restores health is welcoming and loving care. To “lay hands on” means to touch. It demands more than tossing a donation in a cup. Touching creates a bond of friendship, whereas a donation is more like a transaction.

e) Mark 16:19-20: Through the community, Jesus continues His mission

The Jesus who, in Palestine, welcomed the poor and revealed to them the love of the Father, is the same Jesus who now continues to be present in our midst in our communities, from couples to families to parishes and religious orders. Through us, He continues His mission of revealing the Good News of the love of God for the poor. To this day, the resurrection still takes place. No earthly power can neutralize the force that comes from faith in the resurrection (Rom 8:35-39). A community that wants to witness to the resurrection must be a sign of life, must fight against the power of death. So that the world may become a place of life, that community must believe that another world is possible. Above all, where the life of the people is in danger because of a system of death that is imposed, the community must be a living proof of the hope that conquers the world, without fear of unhappiness!

iii) Further information on the Gospel of Mark - God's surprises:

From the start, Mark's Gospel insists that  "The time has come…and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News" (Mk 1:15). This initial request for conversion and faith shows us the door through which we have access to Jesus and the Good News of God that He brings. There is no other access. Faith demands belief in Jesus, in His Word, accepting Him unconditionally. We are invited to not shield ourselves with any name or title, doctrine or custom, and to keep ourselves always open to the surprises of God which demand a constant conversion. Names and titles, doctrines and customs, devotions and pleadings are like a tag that we wear on our chest for identification. The tag is important because it helps us and directs us when necessary to meet a person we are looking for. But when we meet, we do not look at the tag any more, but at the face! Very often, when we meet the person we are looking for he or she is quite different from what we imagined before. The meeting always carries some surprises! More so our meeting with God in Jesus. Throughout Mark's Gospel there are many surprises for the disciples, and these come from where they least expect them:

* from a pagan who gives Peter a lesson because he recognizes the presence of God in the crucified one (Mk 15:39);

* from a poor widow who gives her all to share with others (Mk 12:43-44);

* from a blind man who annoys the disciples by calling out and who does not even have a definite belief (Mk 10:46-52);

* from marginalized little ones who believe in Jesus (Mk 9:42);

* from those who use the name of Jesus to fight evil but who do not belong to the "Church" (Mk 9:38-40);

* from an anonymous woman who scandalizes the disciples by her manner of acting (Mk 14:3-9);

* from a father of a family who is obliged to carry the cross and becomes a model disciple (Mk 15:21)

* from Joseph of Arimathea who risks everything by asking for the body of Jesus to give it burial (Mk 15:43).

* from women who, then, could not be official witnesses but were chosen by Jesus as expert witnesses of His resurrection (Mk 15:40.47; 16:6.9-10).

In a word: The twelve disciples who were specially called by Jesus (Mk 3:13-19) and who were sent by Him on a mission (Mk 6:7-13), failed. Peter denied Him (Mk 14:66-72), Judas betrayed Him (Mk 14:44-45) and all fled (Mk 14:50). But it is precisely through their failure that is shown the strength of faith of the others who were not part of the group of the chosen twelve. The community must clearly be aware that it does not own Jesus nor does it own all the criteria of the action of God in our midst. Jesus does not belong to us, but we, the community, the Church, belong to Jesus, and Jesus is of God (1Cor 3:23). The greatest surprise of all is the resurrection!

6. PSALM 27 (26)

Courage born of faith

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me,
uttering slanders against me,
my adversaries and foes,
they shall stumble and fall.

Though a host encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in His temple.

For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me under the cover of His tent,
He will set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies round about me;
and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and answer me!
Thou hast said, "Seek ye My face."
My heart says to Thee,
"Thy face, Lord, do I seek."

Hide not Thy face from me.
Turn not Thy servant away in anger,
Thou who hast been my help.
Cast me not off, forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me up.

Teach me Thy way, O Lord;
and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord; be strong,
and let your heart take courage;
yea, wait for the Lord!

7. FINAL PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which Your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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