Martin Jumbam
Mother Church celebrates Thursday, May 10, 2018 as the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord to heaven. In the entrance antiphon we pray: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? The Lord will return, just as you have seen him ascend, alleluia”.
Ascension Thursday is one of the great solemnities in the Christian liturgical calendar and commemorates the bodily ascension of Jesus into heaven. Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter. The Latin term used for the feast, ascensio, signifies that Christ was raised up by his own powers, and it is from these terms that the holy day gets its name.
The observance of this feast is of great antiquity. Although no documentary evidence of it exists prior to the beginning of the 5th century, St. Augustine says that it is of apostolic origin, and he speaks of it in a way that shows it was the universal observance of the Church long before his time.
It is observed as a public holiday in some countries, notably Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and Cameroon. In the Eastern Church, this feast is known in Greek as Analepsis, that is, the "taking up", the "salvation from on high", denoting that by ascending into his glory Christ completed the work of our redemption. Ascension is one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox liturgical year.
In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, the author, Saint Luke, gives his plan and purpose for writing the Acts of the Apostles. He emphasizes two main theological themes: the role of the Holy Spirit in the spread of the Gospel and the central place of Jerusalem from where Christ’s message leaves before spreading throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit is to guide the Church on her world-wide expansion program as he empowers the disciples to take Christ’s word to the ends of the earth. Christ’s ascension to his Father’s glory is therefore not the end but rather a new beginning for humanity.
In the second reading, from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle to the Gentiles thanks God for the faith of his converts of Ephesus and prays fervently that God will give them spiritual insight into the mystery of his divine purpose. God is to bring all men and women into a single unity – the Church – of which Christ is the head.
In the Gospel of Mark, as well as in that of Matthew and Luke, the final appearance of Jesus to his disciples is when he gives them their mission to preach the Good News. For those who believe, this message will be for their salvation; but for those who reject their word, it will bring them God’s condemnation. As we share Christ’s word of salvation this day, let us ask for the grace and the courage to also carry Christ’s words of salvation to others. Christ’s injunction to bear witness was not only addressed to his disciples of old, it is also addressed to us, his disciples of this day.
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles, 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."
V/ The word of the Lord.
R/ Thanks be to God.
Comment:
The Acts of the Apostles is the fifth book of the New Testament and it is attributed to the evangelist Luke. Both the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles are addressed to one man called Theophilus. The name comes from Greek and means “one who loves God”. It is to him that Luke writes this letter to explain all that Jesus taught until the day he was taken up to heaven.
In the passage for our meditation, Saint Luke highlights two important themes: the role of the Holy Spirit and the central place of Jerusalem in the spread of the Gospel. Jerusalem is the birthplace of the Church. It is there that the first Christian community is born and will remain for a long time the point of reference before persecution drives Christians to other parts of the Roman Empire. It is then that other cities, such as Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus and finally Rome also become great centers of Christianity. The Gospel has to spread from Jerusalem throughout Judea and Samaria to the ends of the world.
In this passage, Christ asks his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until he sends them his Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen their faith for the mission. The Holy Spirit is to guide the Church as she expands throughout the world. That is why it is necessary that the disciples remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes down on them and fortify them for their mission. They are thus in an interim period between the resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The disciples have still not clearly understood Christ’s mission on earth. They still believe Christ has come to chase away the Roman occupier and restore Israel’s independence. Some of them – like the sons of Zebedee, James and John – are still dreaming of occupying ministerial posts in the future government of Jesus. Christ therefore has to remind them, as he did Pilate, that his kingdom is not of this world. His disciples will have to be fortified in their faith before they can understand him. That is what the Holy Spirit is to do to them. He will make missionaries of them and send them preaching Christ’s message with boldness and authority, not only in Jerusalem, the birthplace of the Church, but throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
The lesson to take from this reading, brothers and sisters, is that Christ’s ascension to his Father is not the end of his being with us on earth; it is, in fact, a new beginning, a promise and a hope for all of us because the Holy Spirit that Christ promises to send on his disciples is the same Holy Spirit that is present in his Church to this day and that empowers us for our mission as well.
Let us say this prayer from the Byzantine liturgy: “Holy Spirit of truth, Sovereign Lord of the universe, guide and guardian of your people, present everywhere, overflowing all that exists. Come and dwell in us, cleanse us from all sin, pour out your blessings on us, give us fresh life, and in your gracious love bring us to salvation. We make our supplication through Christ, our Lord. Amen. Alleluia.”
Second Reading: Ephesians 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.
V/ The word of the Lord.
R/ Thanks be to God.
Comment:
Four of Saint Paul’s letters have always been distinguished as the “Captivity Epistles”. These are his letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon. They were written when the Apostle to the Gentiles was in prison. Paul had suffered imprisonment in Ephesus, Caesarea and Rome where he was finally executed.
In his days, Ephesus was the leading city in Asia Minor. It had been conquered by Alexander the Great in 334 BC and later came under the dominion of Rome in 133 BC. It became the administrative and religious center of the Roman province known as Asia. Ephesus, like Douala, was famous for magic and occult practices and its inhabitants were rigorously superstitious, with many diviners and magicians growing rich on the backs of credulous men and women; just what we see happening even among Christians today.
Saint Paul stayed in Ephesus towards the end of his second apostolic journey, around the year 52 AD (Acts 18: 19ff), and went back there at the start of his third apostolic journey from 54-57 AD. He spent more than two years there and preached so successfully that the prominent Jews and Gentiles of the city incited the people against him and he had to leave.
Shortly before the passage selected for our meditation, Saint Paul has been reflecting on the magnificence of God’s saving plan even for the Gentiles. It is through the preaching of the Gospel that the Gentiles become part of the Church. God has acquired his new people at the cost of his Son’s blood. This is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God to whom Jesus Christ himself, as man, prays for help. He is the God who listens to all his children and fulfills their desires
What do we learn from this reading? Saint Paul tells us that God works wonders through his Son Jesus Christ, whose authority is supreme on earth as well as in heaven. We can only find salvation in his Church of which he is the head. No name surpasses the name of Jesus Christ and so we have to turn to him for assistance in whatever we do. Let us therefore turn to him whenever and wherever we may be because he alone holds the key to eternal life. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia. Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world. Alleluia.
Gospel: Mark 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.
V/ The Gospel of the Lord.
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Comment
“Go into the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation”. This is the universal apostolic mandate that Christ gives to his disciples. It is an imperative command expressed in clear, straightforward terms that the Lord gives to his disciples and through them, their successors, the bishops in communion with Peter’s successor, the Supreme Pontiff, the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
But this mission, as the Fathers of Vatican II remind us, extends further because the whole Church was founded to spread the kingdom of Christ over all the earth for the glory of God the Father, to make all men and women partakers in redemption and salvation. .. In the Church, there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission. To the apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and power. But the laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the world, their own assignment in the mission of the whole people of God. The Fathers of the Church continue by saying that “On all Christians, accordingly, rests the noble obligation of working to bring all men throughout the world to hear and accept the divine message of salvation.”
What do I take home from this reading? The message is clearly given here that Christ’s mission is entrusted to all of us, clergy and laity alike. As we preach Christ’s Word wherever we may find ourselves this day, the Holy Spirit will accompany us, guide us, protect us, and give us hope in times of great trials and tribulation. Let us therefore pray to the Holy Spirit to fortify us in our faith so we can carry out this mission Christ has given us with courage and love. “Father of light, you continually renew our lives by fresh infusions of the Holy Spirit. Pour your light on our path as we take your Word into the world, especially into our families and wherever we may this day. We make our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen. Alleluia.”
Comments