Jesus Christ Ascends to His Throne as the King of Glory
(Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Mark 16:15-20)
The Feast of the Ascension is one of the three oldest annual festivals recognised by the Church, alongside the Lord's Resurrection and the Feast of Pentecost. The term "Ascension" signifies the ultimate elevation of Jesus’s human nature into divine glory, transcending earthly limitations. It is crucial to understand that this feast does not merely commemorate the Lord Jesus’s absence from our physical world; rather, it celebrates the completion of His redemptive work on Earth. The Ascension of Christ symbolises His promise to us that, by remaining in His love and striving to be faithful and obedient disciples, we too can hope for our own ascension into Heaven.
This joyful celebration within the Church community also serves as a poignant reminder of the day the disciples of Jesus witnessed His glorious ascent into Heaven, where He took His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father, as detailed in the First Reading. During the forty days following His Resurrection, Jesus devoted Himself to instructing His disciples, explaining how He fulfilled all that had been foretold about Him in the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-45 and Acts 1:1-3). The day before His Ascension, the Resurrected Christ shared a final meal with His disciples, advising them to remain in Jerusalem and prepare for the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5).
On the 40th day after His Resurrection, according to ancient reckoning, Jesus led His disciples out of Jerusalem and across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives. In this sacred setting, He entrusted them with the vital mission of the New Covenant Church. He proclaimed, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). After delivering this charge, Jesus ascended into Heaven, enveloped in a cloud. Following this extraordinary event, the disciples returned to the Upper Room in Jerusalem, dedicating themselves to prayer and reflection.
For nine days, a devoted group of 120 faithful people, part of the New Covenant community, gathered with the Virgin Mary in prayerful anticipation, preparing themselves for the promised arrival of the Holy Spirit. This significant event was intended to empower the community of the faithful, ensuring that they would be graced with the continual Divine Presence of Christ among them.
The Responsorial Psalm invites all nations and peoples across the Earth to raise their voices in praise of God, who is enthroned as the Supreme King, governing all creation. Christians can reflect on this psalm by contemplating Jesus Christ's kingship and recognising His universal reign. The Catholic Church, representing the faithful from every language, race, and nation, is united as one body in Christ the King.
In the Second Reading, St. Paul addresses the Christians in Ephesus, speaking to them about the glory that begets even greater glory, much as the Ascension laid the groundwork for Pentecost. He emphasises the depth of salvation's message, conveying that it encompasses more than mere knowledge of the events of Christ's life; it offers hope and promises an inheritance among the saints who have entered God's heavenly Temple, where joy resounds, and jubilant trumpets herald the Lord’s presence.
Our Gospel Reading culminates this celebration, in which Jesus commissions His disciples to spread the life-giving message of salvation to every corner of the earth, thereby continuing the divine mission He entrusted to them. The four Gospels offer a rich narrative of Jesus’s various post-resurrection appearances to His Apostles, each recording vital aspects of His ministry after the Resurrection. In the Gospel of Luke (24:36-49), we learn that Jesus took the initiative to open the minds of His disciples, enabling them to grasp the profound truths of the Scriptures. He visited them in person, sharing meals, which confirmed His physical Resurrection. For instance, in Luke 24:30-31, He breaks bread with them, and in verses 40-43, He shows them His wounds and eats fish to assure them of His corporeal existence, dispelling any doubts about His resurrected form. Furthermore, in the Gospel of John (20:19-23), Jesus dispels fear by appearing in their midst, and He breathes the Holy Spirit upon them, conferring upon them the divine authority to “bind and loose” sins as they govern the Church, which He established as His Kingdom on earth.
Jesus made personal appearances to specific disciples, including St. Peter and St. James, His kinsman, who later became the first Christian Bishop of Jerusalem. He also appeared to more than 500 disciples at once, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:5-7. This wide range of appearances affirmed the reality of His resurrection and served as a powerful testimony to His victory over death. In verse 15, Jesus commissions His disciples, instructing them to take the Gospel of salvation to the ends of the earth and promising that they would perform miracles in His name.
In verse 16, Jesus emphasises the essential role of baptism in the journey of faith. He teaches that while faith in Him is the critical first step, it must be accompanied by action, specifically the act of submitting to the Sacrament of Baptism, which He deems necessary for salvation. This is echoed on Pentecost Sunday, when a Jewish crowd, moved by St. Peter’s message, asks what they must do to be saved. Peter responds decisively: “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children” (Acts 2:38-39a). This passage underscores that while God retains sovereign authority over salvation, the Church has no other means of bringing humanity into the fullness of salvation apart from the Sacrament of Baptism (CCC 1257). For further guidance on this matter.
The First Reading offers a detailed account of Christ's Ascension, complementing St. Mark’s Gospel, which provides additional significant insights not found in the Acts narrative. Notably, St. Mark records that after His Ascension, Jesus took His place at the right hand of God (verse 19). This is deeply significant, as it indicates that Jesus reigns over humanity from the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly Sanctuary. This fulfils the prophetic vision of Daniel, who saw One like a son of man coming on the clouds, stating, “When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, he received dominion, splendour, and kingship; all nations, peoples, and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away; his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14). The Ascension serves as the culmination of the Davidic Covenant promise, wherein God assured David, “Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me; your throne shall be firmly established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16).
Though Jesus has ascended to Heaven, He has not abandoned His disciples nor left humanity to navigate the path of salvation alone. As the Holy Spirit’s ongoing ministry continues, it is written, “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs” (verse 20). The miracles performed by the disciples in Jesus’s name served as signs of His abiding divine presence, further strengthening their resolve to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the furthest corners of the earth.
Within the framework of the Sacraments that Jesus entrusted to His Church, He continues to nourish, protect, and guide believers on their journey towards salvation, equipping them to fulfil their covenant obligations. The command given to the disciples to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” (verse 15) is the same call every baptized Christian receives at the Sacrament of Confirmation. Jesus invites all of us to embrace the mantle of apostleship, encouraging us to proclaim the good news of salvation with fearlessness and unwavering conviction. By adhering to the divine instruction that Jesus imparted to His Apostles, we can anticipate a welcome into the heavenly Kingdom, where He will greet us with the words: “Well done, My good and faithful servant!” This assurance emphasises not only the connection between our earthly mission and heavenly reward but also the enduring significance of our faithful witness to the Gospel.
Dr Nicholas Macedon OCD,
Superior & Director, JJCIS
Jeeva Jyothi Carmelite Institute of Spirituality (JJCIS),
Old Gandarvakottai,
Pudukottai - 613301.
Tamil Nadu, India
What's app - +91 - 9698453101
Comments
Post a Comment