THE ASCENSION OF JESUS
First Reading: Acts 1: 1-11
Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 17-23
Gospel Reading: Mark 16: 15-20
*First reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A description of the various apparitions of the risen Lord on different occasions after His resurrection is narrated in detail. After a period of forty days, Jesus ascends to heaven and He promises His disciples that He will send the Holy Spirit upon them. He asks them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the world. As they listened to Him, Jesus is lifted up to heaven and a cloud takes Him out of their sight.
*Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. Paul explains the meaning and the significance of the Ascension of the Lord to the Ephesian Christian community. He asserts that God raised Jesus above all earthly powers and made Him not only the head of the Church but the Lord of the whole creation. Those who believe in Him will accomplish great things.
The risen Lord is taken up to heaven Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. After instructing the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is taken up to heaven and He sits at the right hand of God. On His final day in this world, the Lord commissions His disciples to carry on the work that He began in the world. The Ascension of Jesus tells us that He is no longer physically present among His disciples. From now on, they are to proclaim His teachings to the whole world. The feast of Ascension should give us hope of a life after death. It should as well strengthen us by the abiding presence of the risen Lord among His followers. Hence, the following messages are given by this Feast: 1. The risen Lord is now in His glory and He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. 2. Jesus assures us that after His Ascension, He will send the Holy Spirit to guide us and to strengthen us. 3. Jesus promises us that even after being ascended into heaven, He will continue to be with us till the end of the world: By the word of God and His sacramental presence in the Holy Eucharist. 4. Jesus' Ascension gives us the assurance that one day all who believe in Him will participate in His glory.
"At His Ascension our Lord entered Heaven and He keeps the door open for humanity to enter." - Oswald Chambers
"Ascensions into heaven are like falling of leaves, sad and happy all at the same time. Going away isn't really sad especially when your going enables a new kind of presence to be born." - Ernest Hemingway
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