“RISEN WITH CHRIST”
Easter Reflections
Sunday, 28th May 2017.
Seventh Week of Easter
Acts 8: 5-8, 14-17;
Ps 65: 1-7, 16, 20;
1 Pet 3: 15-18;
Jn 14: 15-21.
PILGRIMS JOURNEYING TO HEAVEN!
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus Christ. This feast affirms the divinity of Jesus Christ, and is celebrated by all Christians. The feast affirms what we profess in the creed: “He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father Almighty”.
The scriptures tell us that Enoch and Elijah did not die, rather were taken up into heaven. The Church tells us that Blessed Virgin Mary was taken body and soul to the heaven. Jesus, however was both divine and human. Our belief in the Incarnation tells us that He descended to earth and became man to redeem mankind. Jesus completes His mission on Earth and now ascends into Heaven to take His seat on His glorious throne for all eternity. The Ascension is both the end and the beginning. The Ascension is the end of His mission, yet the beginning of the mission of the Holy Spirit. It’s a transition to the next phase in the perfect plan of the Father.
The Apostles were probably frightened and confused. Jesus was with them, He died, He rose and appeared at various times, and then He ascended to the Father before their eyes. Jesus also had told them His Advocate would come to lead them into all Truth. The Apostles must have moved from joy to fear, to relief and more joy, to confusion and sorrow, to curiosity and uncertainty. Perhaps that’s the way some find their lives to be. Ups and downs, twists and turns, joys and sorrows. Each phase reveals something new, something challenging, something glorious or something sorrowful. The good news is that the Father’s plan is unfolding perfectly. With this solemnity, Jesus begins to direct His mission of establishing the Kingdom of God from Heaven. His throne is, in a sense, the driver’s seat of our lives. From Heaven, Jesus suddenly begins to descend continuously into our lives fulfilling His mission in and through the Apostles, as well as all of us. The Ascension does not mean Jesus is gone; rather, it means Jesus is now present to each and every person who turns to Him and surrenders their life to His mission. From Heaven, Jesus is able to be present to all. He is able to live in us and invites us to live in Him. It’s the new beginning of the Church. Now all the Apostles need to do is wait for the Holy Spirit to descend.
The first reading narrates the last moments of risen Jesus with his apostles on earth. After his Resurrection, Jesus remained for forty days and ministered to his disciples. He had already opened their minds to understand the Old Testament message about himself, but there were other lessons they needed to learn before they could launch out in their new ministry. The Lord taught them several important lessons during that time of this special ministry.
In the second reading St Paul explains the power of God in raising Jesus from the dead and making him to sit at his right hand, where he is above all Sovereignty, Authority and Power and Domination. The Risen Lord is indeed the Sovereign King of the whole universe.
In the Gospel the Lord with all the authority and power given to him by his Father, Jesus commissions the apostles to go and make disciples of all nations. He calls them to be witnesses to him. A witness is somebody who tells what he has seen and heard (Acts 4: 19-20). We are also like the disciples called to witness to the suffering, death, Resurrection and the Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins in the name of Jesus. The only way to keep the fact and truth of the Risen Lord is to be his witnesses wherever we are.
Disciples looked upward as Jesus was taken up to heaven. We too should look upward, a sign to remind us that our life on the earth is a mission, a journey which culminates in heaven. The Lord is calling us to ascend in our life by raising us up to higher level of life. Jesus us with us till the end of time. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Heb 4:16). May this feast enlighten us to live our life worthy of our Christian calling, like Enoch, Elijah and Mary who enjoy beatific vision of our God
Prayer: Lord, In all things help me to continually say “Yes” to Your plan. May I always witness You to my friends and neighbours through my words, deeds and actions. Jesus, I trust in You. Lord. Amen.