1.Acts
1:1-11
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2.
Eph 1:17-23
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Gospel:
Mk 16:15-20
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The real meaning of the ascension
There is a story of a
Russian cosmonaut who made a space travel. Some years ago, flushed from a
successful flight to outer space, one
Russian cosmonaut sarcastically remarked: " We've gone up to heaven, but
we did not find God there." This
poor Russian cosmonaut was speaking merely on the level of physical and
material.
Today we are
celebrating the Feast of Jesus' ascension. What is the real meaning of the
Lord's ascension? Jesus' ascension means not so much a 'space travel' as
implied by the Russian cosmonaut. Christ entered a new dimension, an unseen but
definitive presence which is the spiritual or immaterial. This signifies His
exaltation as universal sovereign Lord of heaven after a fruitful life on
earth.
According to the
teaching of the church, Ascension is: The ending of His bodily presence on
earth." This happened after 40 days
of His resurrection. Another meaning is: The Lord has left and gone up into
heaven, yet remains with us." This implies that our life has to end just
like that of the physical body of Christ who died. We too must die. If Christ
had ascended into heaven, we too must be there. If everything has ended, so
whatever goodness we can do, do it now and do not delay. What you can today do
not leave it for tomorrow.
We can ask ourselves
the reasons for Jesus' ascension into heaven? Why did he not continue to stay
with us in this world to carry out the missions? The reasons are: In order to
praise God ( Jn 17), in order to become our Savior and Prince of peace ( Acts
5:31), to lead us open and open the gate for us ( Heb 6:20) and to prepare our
place in heaven ( Jn 14: 2). If Jesus has ascended into heaven this means that
He is no longer with us? The answer is: Jesus is still with us today. It is
because He said that whatever you do to the least of my brothers/sisters, you
do this to me." He said also towards the end of St. Matthew's gospel:
" I am with you until the end of the world."
In our today's gospel,
Jesus is kind of giving his last will to his followers. The mandate/ mission
Jesus gave to his disciples was simple to understand but difficult to carry
out. It was to teach to others all that he had taught them. Just as his
disciples had followed him, they would ask others to accept and follow Him too.
The work of conversion and salvation must go on from generation to generation,
until the end of time. With all the changes in our church and in our society
two things have not changed: Jesus Himself, and his message of grace and mercy.
The message and the messenger have not and will never change. People who worry
about changes in the church and society should trust that the basics can still
be relied on. He is with us always... and his mission is our mission too.
"
You write a new page of the gospel each day, through the things that you do and
the words that you say, others read what you write there, if faithful and true.
So, what is the gospel according to you?" (
Unknown author)
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