The Ascension of our Lord

The following was submitted in fulfillment of an assignment for a homiletics class:

Epistle: (Acts 1,1-12) In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.” When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.

 

Gospel: (Lk 24,35-53) At that time, Jesus, rising from the dead, stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, “These are my words that I have spoken to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Do you remember Jesus Christ, Superstar? Man, it has a flawed picture of our Lord. In fact, lyricist Tim Rice said that his purpose was to explore how Judas saw the whole situation.

But the depiction of the Apostles? I think it was spot on. Remember during the Last Supper? “Look at all my trials and tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine. Don’t disturb me now, I can see the answer. Till this evening is this morning, life is fine”. They were clueless.

And we see this cluelessness in our Epistle reading. They had been with Jesus for three years. They had heard the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain. They had heard him predict his death and his resurrection. At least one of the, John, heard him tell Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world”.

So what do they ask him? “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Can’t you just see him, shaking his head and saying to himself, “These guys still don’t get it!”

Jesus didn’t berate them for being clueless. He just told them it wasn’t their job to know what God will do, and when He’ll do it. And that they should go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. And then, get to work making disciples.

Things are often like that for us, too, aren’t they? We often don’t understand what God is doing. We often just don’t get it. And that’s OK.

Even if we don’t get it, He’ll still give us the strength and ability to do what we must. When He told the Apostles, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and unto the ends of the earth”, I doubt they said to themselves, “Always wished that I’d be an apostle”. No. They probably had no idea of the sacrifices they’d have to make. These fishermen from Galilee probably didn’t have much of an idea of where Rome actually was, or India (where Thomas was martyred), or what is now Ukraine (where Andrew preached).

Neither did they have any idea of the multitudes of people who would become like family to them. When we sacrifice for God, He returns blessings.

Now, do you think that the call to go out and make disciples in every land was just for the Apostles to do? No. In fact, the Church has made it clear that it is the duty of every Catholic to evangelize. We aren’t all priests, of course; we each have a separate role in bringing about His Kingdom. Some – the clergy – have specific liturgical and sacramental roles, but all of us are called to show God’s love, speak the Truth of God, bring people into the family.

So, let me ask you. What will you do? Will you be an evangelizer in your sphere of influence? You’ve already been given the Holy Spirit when you were chrismated. God will give you all the tools you need. He will give you all the grace you need. Like the Apostles, you just have to wait on him.