Sunday, May 8, 2005
Ascension Sunday / Mother's Day

1st Reading: Acts 1:1-11
Why are you looking into the sky?

In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I wrote of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he ascended to heaven.

But first he had instructed through the Holy Spirit the apostles he had chosen. After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive; over a period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them concerning the kingdom of God. Once when he had been eating with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the fulfillment of the Father's promise about which I have spoken to you: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days."

When they had come together, they asked him, "Is it now that you will restore the Kingdom of Israel?" And he answered, "It is not for you to know the time and the steps which the Father has fixed 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, even to the ends of the earth."

After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. While they were still looking up to heaven where he went, suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him go there."

2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23
The glorious Christ is the head of the Church

Brothers and sisters, may the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory, reveal himself to you and give you a spirit of wisdom, that you may know him.

May he enlighten your inner vision, that you may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God.

May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart for his saints; may you understand with what extraordinary power he acts in favor of us who believe.

He revealed his almighty power in Christ when he raised him from the dead and had him sit at his right hand in heaven, far above all rule, power, authority, dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world but in the world to come as well.

Thus has God put all things under the feet of Christ and set him above all things, as head of the Church which is his body. He who fills all in all unfolds his fullness in the Church.

Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
Jesus leaves us a mission

As for the Eleven disciples, they went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Jesus, they bowed before him, although some doubted.

Then Jesus approached them and said, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples from all nations. Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to fulfill all that I have commanded you. I am with you always until the end of this world."

Commentary

JESUS departs from the earth, drawing his disciples to the mountain where he commissions them to go out into the whole world, make disciples, baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Spirit (the first time the Trinity is clearly mentioned in the gospel) and to teach all that he has commanded us to do. We are to make disciples by example and to pray and become one in the Trinity. The community was sent to wait, as he left them, to send them the gift of the Spirit that would bind them together in him, teaching them and preparing them to go boldly into the world, as the Father had sent him into the world, to us. They are found waiting together, praying for the power that will come from on high, come from God. They are waiting to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. We wait, again as church, as communities and believers for the Spirit to be given once again so that the power of God may move out into the world again, in us.

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