THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD REFLECTION (1): ITS SIGNIFICANCE. Summary vid + full text.
“’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 (Acts 1:7-9).”
In the 1st reading of today’s Mass, the Acts of the Apostles recount the last apparition and last instructions of Our Lord Jesus Christ on earth before ascending into heaven:
St Luke, in his Gospel, added: “LIFTING UP HIS HANDS HE BLESSED THEM. WHILE HE BLESSED THEM, HE PARTED FROM THEM, AND WAS CARRIED UP INTO HEAVEN (Lk 24:50-51).”
WHAT DOES OUR LORD’S ASCENSION SIGNIFY?
With Our Lord’s Ascension into heaven, He once more demonstrates that He is God. His humanity is glorified with His Ascension. The Catechism teaches us that:
- “Christ’s Ascension marks the DEFINITIVE ENTRANCE OF JESUS’ HUMANITY INTO GOD’S HEAVENLY DOMAIN, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11)…
- As “the head of the Church”, Jesus “PRECEDES US INTO THE FATHER’S GLORIOUS KINGDOM so that WE, THE MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, MAY LIVE IN THE HOPE OF ONE DAY BEING WITH HIM FOR EVER…”
- Moreover, Our Lord Jesus Christ, “having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, INTERCEDES CONSTANTLY FOR US AS THE MEDIATOR WHO ASSURES US OF THE PERMANENT OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 665-667).”
At the same time, Our Lord upon opening the minds of the Apostles to understand the scriptures and that all that has been written about Him in the law of Moses and the prophets have to be fulfilled told them in the Gospel of St. Luke:
“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and THAT REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING FROM JERUSALEM. YOU ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS. 49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high (Lk 24:46–48).”
He instructed the Apostles to be his witnesses not only in Jerusalem but all throughout the world, giving them thus their APOSTOLIC MISSION, as narrated also by St. Mark: “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 (Mk 16:15-16).”
SEE AS WELL: ASCENSION OF OUR LORD (2). Its Repercussions in Christian life
TODAY’S GOSPEL VIDEO COMMENTARY
TOPIC: Do you believe you are the subject of Jesus’ Great Commission?
The gospel today talks about the Great Commission, a mission statement to the apostles for them to carry out – “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.” But Jesus himself was tasked by the Almighty Father and had his own vision and mission statement here on earth. His vision statement is contained in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”” And His mission is in Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” To ensure that the apostles – and us – are successful in fulfilling this Great Commission, God sends us the Holy Spirit, ascertained in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” I went on mission with some couples from Metro Manila South B Sector. I thought I was going to evangelize but I came home evangelized myself. Check this out. God bless your families. God bless our Catholic faith and Couples for Christ.
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