Ascension Thursday Reflection

A Reflection for the Ascension of Christ

By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD, Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/Franciscans of Divine Mercy

Based on Acts 1:1 - 11, Ephesians 1:17 – 23, Mark 16:15-20

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As we celebrate Christ Ascension to the Father let us reflect on the readings and what they mean to us. In the Gospel we are directed to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe

How can we do that? We do it by living our lives every day as Christ taught us in His Sermon on the Mount or as we know them by, The Beatitudes.

That means we need to be aware of the needs of other, show compassion to those who are sick, poor, hungry, homeless and marginalized.

Christ also promises us that He is with us always. “Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians could very well be addressed to us today for in it He asks God to sustain us and Paul also reinforces the reality that Christ was indeed the Son of God and the chosen one promised to rule the heavens and the earth.

“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. God has put all things under Christ’s 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.” (Ephesians 1:17 - 23)

The Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11 relates how Jesus returned from dead and revealed himself to the Apostles and promised that they would receive the Holy Spirit to guide them and lead them. Christ told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ Christ had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John Baptized with water but you, not many days from now, will be Baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Every person who is Baptized is done so with not only water but also The Holy Spirit.

Next week we will celebrate that day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the miracle that occurred of their being heard in the language of people from many nations who did not speak the languages of the Apostles, attending their teachings.

Christ came to give us the guidelines of how to live our life so that we would be pleasing to Almighty God and to distinguish the difference between God’s way and the rules of humans that have nothing to do with gaining everlasting life.

When asked, Christ summed up all the Commandments or Rules simply. “Love the Lord, Your God, with your whole mind, body, and soul and love your neighbor as you love yourself” On another occasion Christ told us “Love one another as I have loved you”.

Christ welcomed ALL who came to Him. Christ made no distinction between race, gender or nationality. Christ taught us to be mindful of the needs of others. He rebuked the hierarchy of the Jewish faith for their greed and their manmade rules that often prevented people from offering God worship much like many churches today.

Jesus told us "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:5-7) As we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension let us reflect on how well we are following Christ’s teachings in our daily lives. Are we mindful of the needs of other? Are we speaking out against injustice? Do pray and partake of The Eucharist the bread of life Christ left us? Do we reject all discrimination that marginalizes people and cause pain and suffering?

Being a true Christian is living our life in a way that often is in contrast to today’s society.

Christ left us a legacy of living our life to please God so that we could claim the place prepared for us with the Father, let’s not forfeit that by rejecting His way but claim it by living as He taught us without shame, openly and proudly. AMEN