Jesus Still With Us

The Ascension of the Lord 08 May 2016  

First reading
Acts 1:1-11

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.’

 

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 46:2-3,6-9

Second reading
Ephesians 1:17-23

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.   

Gospel	Luke 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.

  ‘And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.’

  Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.

  Reflection
By Benj Santiago  

“And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high."

 

Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus! In the Act of Apostles and Gospel of Luke readings for this Sunday, both described how the Lord was raised up into heaven. This is one of the great beliefs that we Catholics have in our Creed. Not all religion in the world today has this belief. Proof of this is that the spot by which the Lord was believed to be raised up to heaven has no incredible proof. In its place a mosque is built on that spot and there are no signs or posts that says on this site Jesus was gloriously lifted up  to heaven. I know this first hand when we visited the place many years back.

 

The proof cannot be found in the place but in the hearts of the Apostles and the disciples and the generations upon generation of believers! Why? Because of the promise Jesus left before He was taken up to heaven. The promise that the Father wil send the "power on high". This promise will be commemorated on Pentecost Sunday next week! The Holy Spirit which is the "Power On High" came down to the disciples and believers about 2000 years ago but continue to happen to this date to all of us who believe that indeed Jesus was taken up into heaven.

Jesus actually did not leave us when He was taken up to heaven. He is with us till the end of time through the Holy Spirit. Let us then live in Christ's presence as we face life, as we make decisions such as the national and local elections in our country on May 9, as we share His message of mercy to others especially to those who don't know Him.

  Prayer  

Father God, thank You for sending us your Son Jesus Christ our Lord who, after fulfilling Your will, has ascended into heaven. May all of us who believe through the power of the Holy Spirit be able to live a life worthy to be with You when our life ends here on earth. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.