The Feast of the Ascension C

The Feast of the Ascension C

Acts 1:1-11. Psalm 46:2-3. 6-7. 8-9. Rv.6. Ephesians 1:17-23. Luke 24:46-53

You will be my witnesses, indeed to the ends of the earth.

 God is king of all the earth. Sing praise with all your skill

May he enlighten your mind so that so you can see what hope his call holds for you.

Repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be preached to all nations.

 Shrine of the Ascension Jerusalem

Jesus said to his disciples, 'So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses to this. ⁴⁹ 'And now I am sending upon you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.' ⁵⁰ Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and raising his hands he blessed them. ⁵¹ Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. ⁵² They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; ⁵³ and they were continually in the Temple praising God.

The shrine of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives

  









Tradition has it that this is the footprint of Jesus in the shrine of the Ascension 

Do you witness?

Jesus came to this world on a mission. The world was in darkness and death the end to an aimless life. Jesus came to reconcile us with God and give us the invitation to become the children of God. He lived among us and was God’s love made visible. He revealed God’s love by healing the sick, forgiving sinners even till his death on the Cross.  His Father rewarded him by raising him to life and seating him on his right hand.

He walked the earth only for a few years but he must give the invitation to everyone throughout the world and throughout the ages. Humiliated and mocked on the Cross he had died offering his life for us. For this he was given all authority in heaven and on earth. Today we celebrate his return to the Father.

            His mission is by no means finished. He handed it on to his disciples. It is for them to proclaim to the world that he is Lord and reconciles us with God and offers us the Holy Spirit to become children of God. “You will be my witnesses even to the ends of the earth”. This is the mission of all his disciples down through the ages till the end of time.

            As witnesses his disciples will proclaim what they have seen and experienced. The disciples had spent time with Jesus and eaten and drunk with him after his Resurrection. In the same way if we are to be his witnesses we too must experience him in our lives. We must know him personally. Without experiencing his goodness and compassion we will never be able to witness. Is the reason why so many do not witness to Jesus because they do not know him, but only know about him?

After his Ascension the disciples returned to Jerusalem in great joy. They were full of enthusiasm to receive the Spirit and begin the mission. The Ascension tells us that we are all to be witnesses.

“Do not leave Jerusalem till you have received power” .We need to be anointed by the Holy Spirit as the disciples were on Pentecost day. Only Spirit filled people can witness to the world. Pentecost is for everyone.

             For too long we have experienced an attitude of dependency and immaturity in the Church whereby we have left everything to the hierarchy and to the priests. The Church has suffered and still suffers from this clericalism. The faithful have not been encouraged to use the manifold gifts of the Spirit. Now is the time for all members of the Church to carry the responsibility of witnessing to Jesus as Lord. The gifts bestowed on the laity for mission should be given free rein to bring the Gospel to the world and the world to Christ.

How can you witness to Jesus?

Father, may we not just look up to heaven but go forth to bring light to the world by our lives