Acts 1:1-11,
Psalm 47:2-3,6-9,
Ephesians 1:27-23,
Saint Christopher Magallanes and Companions
I am with You always
Brethren, the time has come when Jesus is leaving His Apostles as he has always been telling them since Easter. Before He leaves, he gives them a mission to accomplish: “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.” Matthew 28:19-20. The Apostles saw him face to face as He ascended to heaven. This of course might have been a sad experience for them, but they had a promise of the Paraclete and a continuing presence among them.
In the first reading, Luke tells us much about what Ascension is. Firstly, it happened 40 days after Easter but these should not be carefully counted. In biblical language ‘40’ makes just ‘a fairly long period’, often a period of preparation, like Jesus’ 40 days being tested in the desert, or Israel’s 40 years of the Exodus and Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. For the forty days after Easter, it is the time that Jesus has been preparing his apostles for mission without Him. Secondly, Ascension is the definitive parting of the physical Jesus, after which the Risen Christ is no longer with his disciples. It is now the Spirit of Christ which is at the heart of the Church, inspiring all its activity. Thirdly, Luke represents Jesus as a prophet (and more than a prophet), so he leaves his disciples in the same way as the prophet Elijah, who was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot, leaving his disciple Elisha to carry on his work, filled with a double share of his spirit. It's a day of great commissioning.
Why did Jesus ascend to Heaven? The gospels give many answers to this question. Firstly, to He had to go back to the Father, to sit on His throne as the Lord of all heaven and earth because His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). He was always telling His Apostles that he had to go and prepare a place for them and us too in His Father's House, and so he went to prepare a place for us (John 14:3). He ascended so that the Paraclete will come to be with us always (John 16:17). However, His ascension was just an end of physical presence and a starting to appear in the new way: Spiritual way and the Apostles were to continue with witnessing him through all nations.
We see this great commissioning in the Gospel. What was the Mission? It was to go to all the world and make disciples which means to turn people into followers of Christ. This was to be done in the name of Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit. This will be made possible because Jesus is with us always until the end. Jesus gave the Apostles and us too authority to preach as to all nations and we must heed to that call.
The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes the continuous presence of Jesus among His people. The Gospel starts with presenting that God is with us (Mt 1:23=Emmanuel), in the middle, it also emphasizes that where two or three are gathered He is in their midst (Mt 18:20) and ends with a promise that He will be with us always (Mt 28:20). This shows that Christ Divine presence is always among us.
Therefore, brethren, no need to worry, Jesus is always with us and He will never leave us alone. What we need is to respond to Him in faith, become His disciple by being baptised and following his teachings as well as carrying out the mission he entrusts to us daily whether big or small. In this way we shall be able to recognize his presence among us and in our lives.
Reflect today the words of Jesus: ' I am with you always.' Are you convinced of them? Do you feel his presence in your life? Are you doing his mission entrusted to you? Meditate and pray for the Graces you need to daily recognize Him in all your experiences and the people you meet.
Let us Pray.
Lord Jesus, you promised that you will be with us always and indeed you are with us. May your presence in our lives transform us and may it be seen in what we do and say. Amen.
Blessed Ascension Day.
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