The Ascension of the Lord
Lectionary: 58
Lectionary: 58
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.”
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.”
“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
PsalmPS 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.
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.
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.
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.
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to
Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
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 is with us always to the end of time
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). 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 from on high on the Feast of Pentecost, just as Jesus was anointed for his ministry at the River Jordan (Luke 3:21-22, 4:1,18). 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.
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). 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 from on high on the Feast of Pentecost, just as Jesus was anointed for his ministry at the River Jordan (Luke 3:21-22, 4:1,18). 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
Why did the Risen Lord ascend into heaven? The Father raised the glorified body of his Son and enthroned him in glory at his right hand in heaven. The Lord Jesus in his glorified body now reigns as Lord over the heavens and the earth - over all that he has created. The Risen Lord reigns from the throne in heaven as our Merciful Redeemer and Gracious King. He intercedes for us and he empowers us through the outpouring of his Holy Spirit. 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.
Why did the Risen Lord ascend into heaven? The Father raised the glorified body of his Son and enthroned him in glory at his right hand in heaven. The Lord Jesus in his glorified body now reigns as Lord over the heavens and the earth - over all that he has created. The Risen Lord reigns from the throne in heaven as our Merciful Redeemer and Gracious King. He intercedes for us and he empowers us through the outpouring of his Holy Spirit. 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.
You
will be my witnesses to the ends of the 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.
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.
How
can we be effective witnesses for Christ? Jesus told his disciples, "You
shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you - and you shall be
my witnesses... to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Jesus gives his
followers the same power he received when the Holy Spirit came upon him and
anointed him at the beginning of his mission (John 1:32-33). 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. Do you believe
in the power of the Gospel to change and transform your life?
We
are ambassadors for Jesus Christ
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. 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?
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. 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)
Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord – Cycle A
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. The name means “Beloved of God” and could indicate the Christian community as a whole.
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,” refers to Jesus’ integral passion-death experience
appearing to them during forty days
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.
and speaking about the kingdom of God. 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. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky’
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’”.
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 prefigurement of the parousia.
2nd Reading - Ephesians 1:17-23
Toward the end of his second missionary journey (in the year 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,
This title, 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 ones,
The members of His Church. Not only the Church on earth (Church Militant) but in heaven as well (Church Triumphant).
19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might,
God’s mighty power overcomes humanly impossible obstacles.
20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
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.
Gospel - Matthew 28:16-20
Commentators have said that this brief ending (this is the closing verses of Matthew’s gospel) is so rich that it would be hard to say more or greater things in the same number of words. It has been called an anticipated parousia, a partial fulfillment of Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man (Daniel 7 & 8). Its genre combines elements of an Old Testament enthronement pattern with an apostolic commissioning.
16 The eleven disciples
This number alludes to Judas’ defection.
went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
No mountain has been previously mentioned in this gospel. The location of the mountain need not be sought; it falls in the same category as the mountain upon which Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4:8), the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:1), and the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1). A mountain is symbolic of revelation, a kind of Galilean Sinai.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Their worship shows their faith, yet this is mingled with doubt – a common psychological experience which gives hope to us moderns. The mention of doubt on the part of some is a candid observation (recall that other gospel accounts refer to “doubting Thomas”). Through all the resurrection stories there runs the idea that those who saw Jesus did not recognize Him. The disciples see an appearance of the risen Jesus, but it is His words rather than His looks which are stressed in this narrative.
18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Note the past tense. It is God who has bestowed divine authority on Jesus as Son of Man. This authority is that of the kingdom of God (see Matthew 6:10; Daniel 7:14; 2 Chronicles 36:23).
19 Go, therefore,
This great missionary commission concerns the present. The general command is to make disciples and then there are two subordinate clauses which explain how this is to be done: baptize, and teach.
and make disciples of all nations,
This universal call applies to all people of all cultures; even Jewish people who are not yet disciples.
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
This is the first mention of the Trinitarian formula. Baptism admits one to the Church.
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
The disciples are to carry on Jesus’ teaching ministry, thus laying the foundation for Christian education, theology, and other intellectual work. Teaching follows baptism – once admitted to the Church, the work of the faithful is just beginning.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
The task of baptizing and teaching all nations is so daunting that there is a promise of continual support. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not explicitly mentioned here in contrast to John 20:22 and Acts 2:1-4 (see also Matthew 18:20). Jesus is Emmanuel, the divine presence (shekinah) with His people as they make decisions, study, pray, preach, baptize and teach.
There is no mention of an ascension in this gospel. It must be assumed that it coincided with the resurrection. On hearing the words of our Gospel today, we should bear in mind that the authority of the Church, which is given it for the salvation of mankind, comes directly from Jesus the Christ, and that this authority, in the sphere of faith and morals, is above any other authority on earth.
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. The name means “Beloved of God” and could indicate the Christian community as a whole.
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,” refers to Jesus’ integral passion-death experience
appearing to them during forty days
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.
and speaking about the kingdom of God. 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. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky’
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’”.
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 prefigurement of the parousia.
2nd Reading - Ephesians 1:17-23
Toward the end of his second missionary journey (in the year 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,
This title, 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 ones,
The members of His Church. Not only the Church on earth (Church Militant) but in heaven as well (Church Triumphant).
19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might,
God’s mighty power overcomes humanly impossible obstacles.
20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
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.
Gospel - Matthew 28:16-20
Commentators have said that this brief ending (this is the closing verses of Matthew’s gospel) is so rich that it would be hard to say more or greater things in the same number of words. It has been called an anticipated parousia, a partial fulfillment of Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man (Daniel 7 & 8). Its genre combines elements of an Old Testament enthronement pattern with an apostolic commissioning.
16 The eleven disciples
This number alludes to Judas’ defection.
went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
No mountain has been previously mentioned in this gospel. The location of the mountain need not be sought; it falls in the same category as the mountain upon which Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4:8), the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:1), and the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1). A mountain is symbolic of revelation, a kind of Galilean Sinai.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Their worship shows their faith, yet this is mingled with doubt – a common psychological experience which gives hope to us moderns. The mention of doubt on the part of some is a candid observation (recall that other gospel accounts refer to “doubting Thomas”). Through all the resurrection stories there runs the idea that those who saw Jesus did not recognize Him. The disciples see an appearance of the risen Jesus, but it is His words rather than His looks which are stressed in this narrative.
18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Note the past tense. It is God who has bestowed divine authority on Jesus as Son of Man. This authority is that of the kingdom of God (see Matthew 6:10; Daniel 7:14; 2 Chronicles 36:23).
19 Go, therefore,
This great missionary commission concerns the present. The general command is to make disciples and then there are two subordinate clauses which explain how this is to be done: baptize, and teach.
and make disciples of all nations,
This universal call applies to all people of all cultures; even Jewish people who are not yet disciples.
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
This is the first mention of the Trinitarian formula. Baptism admits one to the Church.
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
The disciples are to carry on Jesus’ teaching ministry, thus laying the foundation for Christian education, theology, and other intellectual work. Teaching follows baptism – once admitted to the Church, the work of the faithful is just beginning.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
The task of baptizing and teaching all nations is so daunting that there is a promise of continual support. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not explicitly mentioned here in contrast to John 20:22 and Acts 2:1-4 (see also Matthew 18:20). Jesus is Emmanuel, the divine presence (shekinah) with His people as they make decisions, study, pray, preach, baptize and teach.
There is no mention of an ascension in this gospel. It must be assumed that it coincided with the resurrection. On hearing the words of our Gospel today, we should bear in mind that the authority of the Church, which is given it for the salvation of mankind, comes directly from Jesus the Christ, and that this authority, in the sphere of faith and morals, is above any other authority on earth.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD
SUNDAY, MAY 24, MATTHEW 28:16-20
Holy Day of Obligation
(Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:17-23)
SUNDAY, MAY 24, MATTHEW 28:16-20
Holy Day of Obligation
(Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:17-23)
KEY VERSE: "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (v. 20).
TO KNOW: When Jesus' mission on earth was completed, "in the fullness of time" (Greek: pleroma kairos) he ascended to the Father, filling all of creation with his divine presence. During his earthly ministry, Jesus' mission was to the "lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Mt 10:6). At his ascension he expanded his mission to encompass the whole world, fulfilling the promise to Abraham that in him, all nations would be blessed (Gn 18:18). Jesus reassured his disciples by promising them that his abiding presence and authority would sustain them in their mission as they baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. In his ascension to the Father, Jesus went before us so that we might grow into the "fullness" of the stature of the children of God. At his birth, Jesus was called "Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us" (Matt 1:23). The Spirit of the Risen Christ continues be with the Church to guide and protect it until the end of time.
TO LOVE: In what ways am I empowered to continue Jesus' work on earth?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, be with our Church in times of joy and times of trial.
NOTE: In those places where the Ascension has been transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, the following readings are used: Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-20. With the Solemnity of the Ascension, the Church begins a Novena, nine days of prayer, in preparation of the celebration of Pentecost.
Sunday 24 May 2020
The Ascension of the Lord
Acts 1:1-11. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; a
blare of trumpets for the Lord – Psalm 46(47):2-3, 6-9. Ephesians 1:17-23.
Matthew 28:16-20.
‘I am with you always.’
The Ascension of Christ is one of those mysteries that tests our
rational minds. Like the Resurrection, the Ascension reveals the ability of
divine power to transcend the limits of the temporal world. Moreover, both
events reveal to us Jesus’ submission to the authority of the Father.
Throughout his earthly mission, Jesus pointed beyond himself to
his heavenly Father. Even as he ascended to the Father’s right hand, he pointed
beyond himself to the coming of the Holy Spirit. He reinforced the central
message that his authority, and all authority, are the fruit of living in
relationship with the Father and the Spirit, and with others.
In a world which prizes individualism, the image of the
relational union of Father, Son and Spirit is a potent remedy for the culture
of self-centredness and self-reliance that is found so much in our society.
Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi
Saint of the Day for May 24
(April 2, 1566 – May 25, 1607)
 |
| Ecstasy of Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi | Alessandro Rosi |
Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi’s Story
Mystical ecstasy is the elevation of the spirit to God in such a
way that the person is aware of this union with God while both internal and
external senses are detached from the sensible world. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi
was so generously given this special gift of God that she is called the
“ecstatic saint.”
Catherine de’ Pazzi was born into a noble family in Florence in
1566. The normal course would have been for her to have married into wealth and
enjoyed comfort, but Catherine chose to follow her own path. At 9, she
learned to meditate from the family confessor. She made her first Communion at
the then-early age of 10, and made a vow of virginity one month later. At 16,
Catherine entered the Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion
daily there.
Catherine had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a
novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near, so her
superiors let her make her profession of vows in a private ceremony from a cot
in the chapel. Immediately after, Mary Magdalene fell into an ecstasy that
lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion on the following 40
mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of union with God and contained
marvelous insights into divine truths.
As a safeguard against deception and to preserve the
revelations, her confessor asked Mary Magdalene to dictate her experiences to
sister secretaries. Over the next six years, five large volumes were filled.
The first three books record ecstasies from May of 1584 through Pentecost week
the following year. This week was a preparation for a severe five-year trial.
The fourth book records that trial and the fifth is a collection of letters
concerning reform and renewal. Another book, Admonitions, is a
collection of her sayings arising from her experiences in the formation of
women religious.
The extraordinary was ordinary for this saint. She read the
thoughts of others and predicted future events. During her lifetime, Mary
Magdalene appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of
sick people.
It would be easy to dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary
Magdalene only had spiritual highs. This is far from true. It seems that God
permitted her this special closeness to prepare her for the five years of
desolation that followed when she experienced spiritual dryness. She was
plunged into a state of darkness in which she saw nothing but what was horrible
in herself and all around her. She had violent temptations and endured great
physical suffering. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi died in 1607 at age 41, and was
canonized in 1669. Her Liturgical Feast Day is May 25.
Reflection
Intimate union, God’s gift to mystics, is a reminder to all of
us of the eternal happiness of union he wishes to give us. The cause of
mystical ecstasy in this life is the Holy Spirit, working through spiritual
gifts. The ecstasy occurs because of the weakness of the body and its powers to
withstand the divine illumination, but as the body is purified and
strengthened, ecstasy no longer occurs. See Teresa of Avila’s Interior
Castle, and John of the Cross’ Dark Night of the Soul, for more
about various aspects of ecstasies.
Lectio Divina: The Ascension of the Lord (A)
Lectio Divina
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Go into the whole world
Universal mission
Matthew 28:16-20
Universal mission
Matthew 28:16-20
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 guide the reading:
The text reports the last words of Jesus in the Gospel of
Matthew. This is like a testament, his last wish for the community, that which
is uppermost in his mind. In our reading, let us try to pay attention to the
following: What does Jesus insist on most in his final words?
b) A division of chapter 14 to help with the reading:
Mt 28:16 – Geographical indication: return to Galilee
Mt 28:17 – Jesus’ apparition and the reaction of the disciples
Mt 28:18-20a – Jesus’ final instructions
Mt 28:20b – The great promise, source of all hope.
Mt 28:17 – Jesus’ apparition and the reaction of the disciples
Mt 28:18-20a – Jesus’ final instructions
Mt 28:20b – The great promise, source of all hope.
c) The text:
16: Meanwhile the eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the
mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them.
17: When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated.
18-20a: Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you.
20b: And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.'
17: When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated.
18-20a: Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you.
20b: And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.'
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the Word of God may enter into us and enlighten our
life.
4. Some questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) What struck you and touched your heart most?
b) Identify the chronological and geographical information in this text.
c) How do the disciples react? What is the content of Jesus’ words to the disciples?
d) What is this "all power in heaven and on earth" given to Jesus?
e) What does it mean, "to become a disciple" of Jesus?
f) In this context, what does the baptism "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" mean?
g) What do the words "I am with you always, even to the end of time" remind us of in the OT?
b) Identify the chronological and geographical information in this text.
c) How do the disciples react? What is the content of Jesus’ words to the disciples?
d) What is this "all power in heaven and on earth" given to Jesus?
e) What does it mean, "to become a disciple" of Jesus?
f) In this context, what does the baptism "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" mean?
g) What do the words "I am with you always, even to the end of time" remind us of in the OT?
5. A key to the reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the text.
a) The context of Matthew’s Gospel
* Matthew’s Gospel, written about the year 85, is addressed to a
community of converted Jews who lived in Syria-Palestine. They were going
through a deep identity crisis concerning their past. When they accepted Jesus
as the awaited Messiah, they continued to go to the synagogue and to observe
the law and the ancient traditions. Moreover, they had a certain affinity with
the Pharisees, and after the revolution of the Jews in Palestine against the
Romans (65 to 72), they and the Pharisees were the only two groups to have
survived the Roman oppression.
* From the 80s, these Jewish brothers, Pharisees and Christians,
only survivors, began to fight among themselves as to who had inherited the
promises of the OT. Each claimed to be the inheritors. Gradually, tension grew
between them and they began to excommunicate each other. The Christians could
no longer attend the synagogue and were cut off from their past. Each group
began to regroup: the Pharisees in the synagogue, the Christians in church.
This added to the identity problem of the community of Jewish Christians
because it raised serious questions in need of urgent solutions. "Who has
inherited the promises of the OT, those of the synagogue or those of the
church? On whose side is God? Who are really the people of God?
* Now, Matthew writes his Gospel to help these communities
overcome their crisis and to find an answer to their problems. His Gospel is,
first of all, a Gospel of revelation showing how Jesus is the true Messiah, the
new Moses, the culmination of the whole of the history of the OT and its
promises. It is also the Gospel of consolation for those who felt excluded and
persecuted by their Jewish brothers. Matthew wants to console and help them to
overcome the trauma of the split. It is the Gospel of the new practice because
it shows the way to achieve a new justice, greater than that of the Pharisees.
It is the Gospel of openness and shows that the Good News of God that Jesus
brought cannot be hidden, but must be placed on a candlestick so that it may
enlighten the life of all peoples.
b) Commentary on the text of Matthew 28: 16-20
* Matthew 28:16: Returning to Galilee: It was in Galilee that it
all began (Mt 4:12). It was there that the disciples first heard the call (Mt
4:15) and it was there that Jesus promised to reunite them again after the
resurrection (Mt 26:31). In Luke, Jesus forbids them to leave Jerusalem (Acts
1:4). In Matthew they are commanded to leave Jerusalem and go back to Galilee
(Mt 28: 7.10). Each evangelist has his own way of presenting the person of
Jesus and his plans. For Luke, after the resurrection of Jesus, the
proclamation of the Good News has to begin in Jerusalem in order to reach to
the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). For Matthew, the proclamation begins in
Galilee of the pagans (Mt 4:15) in order to prefigure the passage from the Jews
to the pagans.
The disciples had to go to the mountain that Jesus pointed out to them. The mountain reminds us of Mount Sinai, where the first Covenant took place and where Moses received the tablets of the Law of God (Ex 19 to 24; 34:1-35). It also reminds us of the mountain of God, where the prophet Elijah took refuge in order to find again the meaning of his mission (1Kings 19:1-18). It also reminds us of the mountain of the Transfiguration, where Moses and Elijah, that is, the Law and the Prophets, appear with Jesus, thus confirming that he is the promised Messiah (Mt 17:1-8).
The disciples had to go to the mountain that Jesus pointed out to them. The mountain reminds us of Mount Sinai, where the first Covenant took place and where Moses received the tablets of the Law of God (Ex 19 to 24; 34:1-35). It also reminds us of the mountain of God, where the prophet Elijah took refuge in order to find again the meaning of his mission (1Kings 19:1-18). It also reminds us of the mountain of the Transfiguration, where Moses and Elijah, that is, the Law and the Prophets, appear with Jesus, thus confirming that he is the promised Messiah (Mt 17:1-8).
* Matthew 28:17: Some doubted: The first Christians had great
difficulty in believing in the resurrection. The evangelists insist in saying
that they doubted a lot and did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus (Mk
16:11.13.14; Lk 24:11.21.25.36.41; Jn 20:25). Faith in the resurrection was a
slow and difficult process, but ended by being the greatest certainty of
Christians (1Cor 15:3-34).
* Matthew 28:18: All power in heaven and on earth has been given
to me: The passive form of the verb shows that Jesus received his authority
from the Father. What is this authority? In the Apocalypse, the Lamb (the risen
Jesus) received from the hand of God the book with seven seals (Ap 5:7) and
became the Lord of history, he who must assume the responsibility for the
execution of God’s project as described in the sealed book, and as such is
adored by all creatures (Ap 12:11-14). By his authority and power he conquers
the Dragon, the power of evil (Ap 12:1-9). And captures the Beast and the false
prophet, symbols of the Roman Empire (Ap 19:20). In the Creed at Mass we say
that Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, thus
becoming the judge of the living and the dead.
* Matthew 28:19-20a: Jesus’ last words: three commands to the
disciples: Vested with supreme authority, Jesus passes on three orders to the
disciples and to all of us: (i) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations;
(ii) baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit; (iii) teach them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you.
i) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations: To be
a disciple is not the same as being a student. A disciple is in
relation to the master. A student is in relation to the teacher. The disciple
lives with the master 24 hours a day; the student receives lessons from the
teacher for a few hours then goes back home. The disciple presupposes a
community. The student presupposes being present in a classroom for lessons.
The state of discipleship in those days was marked by the expression to
follow the master. In the Carmelite Rule we read: To live in obedience to
Jesus Christ. For the first Christians, to follow Jesus meant three
connected things:
- To imitate the example of the Master: Jesus was the model to imitate and to be repeated in the life of the disciple (Jn 13:13-15). Living together every day meant a constant meeting. In this School of Jesus only one subject was taught: the Kingdom! This Kingdom could be seen in the life and practice of Jesus.
- Sharing in the fate of the Master: Those who followed Jesus, had to commit themselves to "stay with him in temptations" (Lk 22:28), and in persecution (Jn 15:20; Mt 10:24-25) and had to be willing to take up the cross and die with him (Mk 8:34-35; Jn 11:36).
- To possess in oneself the life of Jesus: After Easter, a third dimension was added: "I live now not I but Christ lives in me". The first Christians sought to identify themselves with Jesus. This is the mystical dimension in the following of Jesus, fruit of the Spirit’s action.
- To imitate the example of the Master: Jesus was the model to imitate and to be repeated in the life of the disciple (Jn 13:13-15). Living together every day meant a constant meeting. In this School of Jesus only one subject was taught: the Kingdom! This Kingdom could be seen in the life and practice of Jesus.
- Sharing in the fate of the Master: Those who followed Jesus, had to commit themselves to "stay with him in temptations" (Lk 22:28), and in persecution (Jn 15:20; Mt 10:24-25) and had to be willing to take up the cross and die with him (Mk 8:34-35; Jn 11:36).
- To possess in oneself the life of Jesus: After Easter, a third dimension was added: "I live now not I but Christ lives in me". The first Christians sought to identify themselves with Jesus. This is the mystical dimension in the following of Jesus, fruit of the Spirit’s action.
ii) Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit: The Trinity is the source, the end and the way. Those
baptized in the name of the Father, revealed in Jesus, commit themselves to
live as brothers and sisters in fraternity. And if God is Father, we are all
brothers and sisters. Those baptized in the name of the Son, Jesus, commit
themselves to imitate Jesus and to follow him even unto the cross in order to
rise with him. And the power that Jesus received from the Father is a creative
power that conquers death. Those baptized in the Holy Spirit, given by Jesus on
the day of Pentecost, commit themselves to interiorising fraternity and the
following of Jesus, allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit alive in the
community.
iii) Teaching them to observe all my commands: For us
Christians, Jesus is the New Law of God, proclaimed from on high in the
mountain. Jesus is the chosen of the Father as the new Moses, whose word is law
for us. "Hear him" (Mt 17:15). The Spirit sent by him will remind us
of all the things he taught us (Jn 14:26; 16:13). The observance of the new Law
of love is balanced by the gratuitous presence of Jesus in our midst, till the
end of time.
* Matthew 28:20b: I am with you always, even to the end of time:
When Moses was sent to free the people from Egypt, he received a guarantee from
God, the only guarantee that offers complete certainty: "Go, I shall be
with you!" (Ex 3:12). It is the same certainty promised to the prophets
and other persons sent by God to undertake an important mission in God’s plan
(Jer 1:8; Jud 6:16). Mary received the same guarantee when the angel said to
her, "The Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28). The person of Jesus is the
living expression of this guarantee, because his name is Emmanuel, God with us
(Mt 1:23). He will be with his disciples, with all of us, even to the end of
time. Here we see Jesus’ authority. He controls history and time. He is the
first and the last (Ap 1:17). Before the first, nothing existed and
after the last, nothing is. This guarantee sustains people, nourishes
their faith, sustains hope and generates love and the gift of oneself.
c) Highlighting the words of Jesus: The universal mission of the
community.
Abraham was called to be the source of blessings not only for
his descendants, but for all families on earth (Gen 12:3). The slave people
were called not only to restore the tribe of Jacob, but also to be light to the
nations (Is 49:6; 42:6). The prophet Amos said that God not only freed Israel
from Egypt, but also the Philistines from Kaftor and the Aramaians from Quir
(Am 9:7). God, then, looks after and is concerned for the Israelites as well as
for the Philistines and the Aramaians who were the greatest enemies of the
people of Israel! The prophet Elijah thought he was the only defender of God (Kings
19:10.14), but he had to be told that apart from himself there were seven
thousand others! (1Kings 19:18) The prophet Jonah wanted Yahweh to be only the
God of Israel, but had to admit that he is the God of all nations, even the
inhabitants of Niniveh, the bitterest enemies of Israel (Jo 4:1-11). In the New
Testament, John, the disciple, wanted Jesus only for the little group, for the
community, but Jesus corrected him and said, He who is not against me is
for me! (Mk 9:38-40).
At the end of the first century after Christ, the difficulties
and persecutions could have driven the Christian communities into losing the
missionary impetus and to close in on themselves, as if they were the only ones
defending the values of the Kingdom. But Matthew’s Gospel, faithful to this
long tradition of openness to all nations, tells the communities that they
cannot close in on themselves. They cannot claim for themselves a monopoly on
the action of God in the world. God is not the community’s property; rather the
community is Yahweh’s property (Ex 19:5). In the midst of humanity that
struggles against and resists oppression, the communities must be salt and
yeast (Mt 5:13; 13:33). They must proclaim aloud to the whole world, among all
nations, the Good News that Jesus brought us. God is present in our midst, the
same God who, in Exodus, commits himself to free those who call on his name!
(Ex 3:7-12). This is our mission. If this salt loses its savor, what will it be
good for? "It is of no use for the earth or for the fertiliser" (Lk
14:35)
6. Psalm 150
Universal praise
Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy sanctuary;
give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.
Give praise for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his great majesty.
Praise God in his holy sanctuary;
give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.
Give praise for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his great majesty.
Give praise with blasts upon the horn,
praise him with harp and lyre.
Give praise with tambourines and dance,
praise him with flutes and strings.
praise him with harp and lyre.
Give praise with tambourines and dance,
praise him with flutes and strings.
Give praise with crashing cymbals,
praise him with sounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
give praise to the Lord!
Hallelujah!
praise him with sounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
give praise to the Lord!
Hallelujah!
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank 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 practise 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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