Breaking Open the Word
May 17 - Ascension of the Lord
Introduction
Are you task oriented? Do you make yourself a list to judge the success of your day? Work creates stress. But it also creates satisfaction. Some people live for a job well done. Most people love to be productive and pride themselves on carrying out a job with confident success.
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus gave His followers a job: make disciples. The task ahead might have discouraged His followers. But the power of His word and promise of His presence washed away any hesitation on their part.
In the first reading we hear that the disciples are eager to know when Jesus is going to begin His reign as Messiah. They repeatedly ask Jesus, is this the time will you restore the kingdom to Israel?" But Jesus said to them, you won't know when or where the Kingdom will come. God will do that in His own time. But you will receive God's power when the Holy Spirit comes to you and will tell everyone about Me in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth! Then Jesus ascends into Heaven and is gone from their site.
The disciples continue to stare at the sky until two angels appear and tell them to stop waiting for Jesus’ return. There is no time to stand around waiting. In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples, “Go make disciples of all people!” There is much work to be done! Jesus says, “I AM with you every day until the end of time.” Although they do not see Jesus, He is with them.
This commission given to the first disciples is also given to you and me. So, how am I doing? Am I staring at the sky or leading others to Christ?
Gospel Explained
In our Gospel, Matthew has the disciples meet the risen Lord, for the first time, on a mountain top. The mountain is the closest place to heaven on earth. When people climbed a mountain in scripture, they desired to encounter God. On the mountain top, God would reveal Himself and His will. The mountain symbolized the place of teaching, revelation, and mission.
When the disciples encountered the Risen Lord, they worshiped Him, but some doubted what they were seeing. Jesus then approached His followers and announced a command (like a royal decree) in three parts. First, He declared the obvious; He had the power of God (28:18). Second, He gave His disciples the command to teach and baptize in the name of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (28:19.) Finally, He insured their success by promising His presence; when they spoke or acted, the disciples did it with the power of God (28:20).
Matthew 28:19-20 is called "The Great Commission." In this passage, Jesus defined the scope of the mission He gave His disciples in every generation and the formula for Christian Baptism "in the name (singular) of God the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
Jesus sent His followers out with a command, make disciples wherever they traveled. How? By baptizing in God's powerful name. Ancient people also chose names carefully. They believed a person's name defined their strength of character. In 28:19, Jesus revealed the inner power of God in three names. The three were listed together (expressing the unity of God) and as equals (expressing the all-powerful nature of each). When believers were baptized in the name of the Trinity, they became intimate with all that God was: God above them (Father), God beside them (Son), and God within them (Holy Spirit). With God so close to the faithful, they became God's instruments.
Today's Theme
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. It is the oldest annual festival of the Church in addition to the Lord's Resurrection and is celebrated 40 days after Jesus’ Resurrection. (We celebrate the Ascension on the Sunday following the 40th day.) By ascending to His glory, Jesus completed His work of humanity's redemption. By His own power He takes His place in the Heavenly Kingdom.
Christ's Ascension into Heaven symbolized His Lordship. He now revealed His participation in the Father's power and authority. What the Son possessed by His divine nature, He manifested in the economy of salvation.
The Paschal Candle is a symbol of the Easter season. It is first lit at the Easter Vigil Mass and is present in the Sanctuary for 40 days, reminding the faithful that the Resurrected Christ, "the Light of the world," is among us. The Paschal Candle's presence in the Sanctuary over the 40 days represents the time our Savior and Risen Lord spent on earth with His Mother and Apostles before His Ascension into Heaven. When the Feast of the Ascension arrives, this special period ends.
The Pascal Candle is extinguished at the end of the celebration of the Ascension Mass because Our Redeemer has returned to His Father's heavenly Kingdom. However, His Divine Presence is still with us. He is omnipresent and remains with us in the Blessed Sacrament; He just no longer physically walks among us. Jesus has gone to His Father's heavenly Kingdom to prepare a place for us when our earthly exile is over. In the meantime, we must make ourselves ready for this union by striving to live in holiness until the day when we can join Him in eternity.
Theme in our Life Today
Ancient people placed great weight in the way someone dressed and acted. It spoke of social power. When the disciples saw the Risen Lord, they bowed down in worship. With death vanquished, the limitations of life no longer had hold of Jesus. Jesus was all-powerful, an attribute Jews only gave to God Himself. And the disciples witnessed this power. So, Jesus' risen presence confirmed His statement of power. He is the Son of God. However, He also is Emmanuel, God with us.
The Ascension is not about the absence of Christ. It is about His continual presence among His people until His Second Coming at the end of the age of humanity. Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and take His Bride, the faithful assembly of His Church, to His home in Heaven.
While Christ now reigns with His Father, He still dwells in His Body, the Church. Through the Church, Christ acts in the world. Through the Church He announces the inheritance of God's Kingdom. The Church, imperfect as an assembly of sinners, declares the Kingdom. For the Church is made whole through the work of Christ's Spirit.
So, we await the coming of our Savior in these "end times." At Christ's second coming, all that God promised will happen. We will live forever in justice, love, and peace. We may wonder, how are we to wait? The answer and our response will determine our eternal home.
Christ commands us to evangelize. He tells us to bring new members into the Church and teach them to do the same. He promises to be with us in our mission. So, let us invite others into the Kingdom through our prayer, words, and example. Let us be the presence of Christ to others.
Prepare for Sunday
In prayer reflect on these questions, what is my place in Christ's Kingdom? How am I using my spiritual "talents" to advance the Kingdom and fulfill the Great Commission? Brainstorm 5-10 ways to bring others to Christ. We hope to follow where Jesus has gone, for His Ascension is our glory and hope! The Solemnity of the Ascension reminds us that our time on earth is fleeting, and that our true home is in Heaven with our Lord and Savior.