Jesus is with us to make all nations his disciples

CATHOLIC DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

Welcome to my blog. The Catholic Church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives us each day at least two readings from the Bible, plus several verses from a psalm which is an inspired response to one of the readings, normally the first.

There is a cycle (a two-year cycle for weekdays and a three-year cycle for Sundays) which covers the major parts of the Old Testament, the Gospels and the New Testament writings.

Through these readings we get our spiritual nourishment. In my blog I give the readings and the inspirations I have received in prayer. I want to share them with others. If they help some to get in touch with God and his image in this world, Jesus the Christ, then my purpose will be fulfilled. May God bless you through his Spirit.

If we wish to grow spiritually, then we must set aside time each day to prayerfully read the WORD OF GOD. In silence we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through the reading. We can respond with the PSALM.

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Sunday 24 May 2020

The Feast of the Ascension

Jesus is with us to make all nations his disciples

Acts 1: 11

Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens?

This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven

will return as you saw him go, alleluia.

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Prayer

Father, the ascension into glory of Jesus, our Brother and Saviour, fills us with overflowing joy. For he is our precursor, the first fruits of the salvation you offer us. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that persevering in faith and love until the end, we may ascend with him into your presence. We make our prayer through your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.

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First reading

Acts 1:1-11

Jesus was lifted up while they looked on

In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’

Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’

As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’ THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

As for everyone, death brought to a definitive end, the life of Jesus on earth. That was the end of the chapter. Never again will anyone ever meet him as they did while he walked the roads of Palestine. What happened after his death on the Cross is a totally new story. He alone of all the billions who have died, ever came back from beyond the grave. Some five hundred chosen disciples witnessed him in his new state of being. It is their witness which is the human basis for our belief. It was a witness for which they were willing to die rather than deny. The life of the Risen Jesus gives us a glimpse of the kind of life the Father wishes to give to all who will persevere in love and obedience until the end. Jesus is the first fruit of the new creation. This is not imagination, or make-believe, not just some consoling story, but reality. Peter’s witness regarding the Risen Lord We cannot be silent about that which we have seen and heard. (Acts :20) and they crucified him, but God raised him to life on the third day. We ate and drank with him as he had risen and he commanded us to preach his Good New to the whole world Acts 10:38,41.We live in the hope that he will, one day, make the whole of creation new. This is a hope that will not deceive us. For Jesus is risen and ascended to the right hand of the Father.

Has this belief transformed your life? 

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Psalm (Make the psalm your prayer of gratitude for God’s Word)         Psalm 46(47):2-3,6-9

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

All peoples, clap your hands,

cry to God with shouts of joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,

great king over all the earth.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

God goes up with shouts of joy;

the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

Sing praise for God, sing praise,

sing praise to our king, sing praise.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

God is king of all the earth,

sing praise with all your skill.

God is king over the nations;

God reigns on his holy throne.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

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Second reading

Ephesians 1:17-23 ·

God made him sit at his right hand in heaven

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation. THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

Jesus was always God, even at the very moment of his conception in the womb of Mary. But he emptied himself of all the prerogatives of his Godhead and became a slave, one of us in every way. He lowered himself to the level of washing our feet. One of us, he identified with us completely, except he would not sin or disobey God in any way. He became a human being in order to take with him those who would follow him on the journey from this world of sin and suffering into the glory of God. He has gone before us physically. He sits now at God’s right hand. But he is still with us inspiring, encouraging and leading us on the journey of faith. The goal of life is the throne of God. “Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.” (Rev 3:21).

With an eye always on your destination, do you follow Jesus with faith in your daily mundane life?

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Gospel

Matthew 28:16-20

Go and make disciples of all nations

The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’ THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

This is the final farewell. Jesus gathers all his disciples. He gives them his last and guiding instruction for them throughout the ages.

In the beginning of the Gospel, Satan had taken him onto a high mountain and shown him all the kingdoms of the world. These are mine, but I will give them to you. just kneel down and worship me. You will have all authority without any suffering or struggle. The whole world will be in your hands.

Firstly, Satan will deceive. What he promises is not what he does. Anyone who listens to the attractive and deceitful word of Satan will come to ruin. Secondly, Jesus is led by the will of God. He rejects Satan, goes forward and in the battle with Satan, will be scourged, crowned with thorns and crucified on a cross. Having been faithful to the will of his Father, his dead body is raised to life and Jesus is given all true authority in the whole of creation. He is now Lord, not Satan. Satan is vanquished by loving obedience to the Father. Jesus reveals his vision. Make disciples of all nations. Nations are to become his disciples, not just individuals. We have a long way to go. However, making disciples is closest to the heart of Jesus. It is his last command.

Disciples are not simply converts. They are people who love Jesus and commit their lives to following all he teaches. True disciples will give up all the deceits of Satan and live only for Jesus. Their lives will be the incarnation of the Master’s teaching. Love of Jesus will be the driving power of their lives.

Can we fulfil his command? It is not easy but Jesus is Emmanuel, we heard at the beginning of the Gospel. He is God-with-us. Jesus reiterates that again today. I will be with you until the end of the age.

In your work of evangelisation, of sharing the joy of the Gospel, have you experienced the presence of Jesus with you? Is his promise real for you?

Matt 28: 20

Behold, I am with you always,

even to the end of the age, alleluia.

Prayer

Father, may we experience the presence of Jesus at all times, as through the lives we lead, we proclaim our faith in Jesus. May Jesus who is with us, give is the power, the wisdom and the zeal to proclaim him to people around us with love. May we see this as the great command of the Lord. We make this prayer through your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.