Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (C)

June 2, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Acts 1: 1-11

Psalm: 67 “God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.”

Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 17-23

Gospel reading according to Luke 24: 46-53

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Homily

Jesus expounded to his disciples what should happen to the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, to him, in reference to the written words from the Old Testament.  They have to understand this so that their faith in him becomes stronger when the time comes that he leaves them.  “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day’.” (Luke 24: 46).  I presumed, Jesus was quoting the prophet Hosea, “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him” (Hosea 6:1-3a).  Jesus wanted to enlighten and to make light the sorrowful and heavy hearts and minds of his disciples about his predicted death, of his leaving and taking away of him from them and afterwards he will resurrect from death, as prophesied in the written book of the Old Testament.  And also maybe he referred to the prophet Isaiah about the Suffering Servant, who he was, “He was despised, and rejected of men; man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5).  He may also mention to Psalm 16 regarding not seeing decay because he, the Messiah, will rise on the third day, “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:8-10).  With these words from the Old Testament, the disciples might comprehend the real meaning of the Messiah – One who serves and offers his self as a ransom for many; for the disciples they have different meaning and expectation of the Messiah – One who rules over all.

So also he gave them, as well as we, instructions to preach on repentance and forgiveness of sins.  “’. . . and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem’.” (Luke 24: 47).  Jesus, through his disciples, (we also) wanted to teach repentance, doing penance, amending one’s life, changing one’s heart and life for the better, having good and harmonious relationship with others, and avoiding committing sins and so receiving forgiveness and love and mercy from God the Father whom Jesus will be returning to.  They/We have to preach repentance throughout the whole world for the forgiveness of sins, in his name, starting from Jerusalem up to the ends of the world, so that they/we may experience the love and goodness of God the Almighty Father.

Jesus made his disciples his witnesses to all that he said and done.  “You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24: 48). Nothing should escape from their witnessing.  They should have known also all about Jesus.  We too as his disciples must give witness to the words and actions of our Lord, Master, Messiah, and the Christ – Jesus, to others who do not know him yet.  We have also to proclaim the repentance for the forgiveness of sins to as many people as we meet.

He also affirmed the promised Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be sent by God the Father in his name to his disciples, to be their teacher in instructing all about Jesus Christ and strength in proclaiming his good news to all nations.  “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” (Luke 24: 49). The Holy Spirit will come upon them, to have them power and strength, authority to all they will say and do in the name of Jesus.  Jesus also asked his disciples, “pinaki-usapan,” not to leave Jerusalem, for there the Holy Spirit will appear to overshadow them, and from there they will spread the good news by proclaiming it.  The Holy Spirit will clothe them with power from on high when He comes to them, in Jerusalem, in the upper room, where they held the Last Supper. 

After giving those instructions, reminders and last will and testament, he led and brought them out where they were staying and went to Bethany to bid them good bye.  “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them” (Luke 24: 50).  While they were in that place, as far as Bethany, he raised his hand to bless them, a gesture very popular in the Old Testament, in giving praise when Abraham was offering Isaac to God, winning in war when the Israelite were entering the Promised Land while Moses was raising his arms, and now Jesus used this gesture in giving blessing to his disciples when he was about to leave them.  Maybe, I presumed, he used his both hands in blessing and even praying for them.

While his arms were raised up giving blessing to his disciples, he was ascending to heaven, as witnessed by all present.  “As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven” (Luke 24: 51).  Slowly he was raised up to heaven in the presence of his disciples.  While his disciples giving homage on their knees to him with joyful hearts as they witnessed this amazing event in the post-resurrection of their Master and Teacher, their Lord and God – his ascension into heaven.  “They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24: 52).  In spite of sadness for their Master and Teacher was leaving them; their hearts were full of joy and happiness for they saw the risen Lord ascended into heaven, and that the promised of old was fulfilled in him.

After beholding that amazing event and moment in their lives, the ascension of Jesus to heaven, those who were present in that significant witnessing, they followed what Jesus told them, to stay and remain in Jerusalem until such time the Advocate, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit descended upon them, clothed them with His power from on high.  “. . . and they were continually in the temple praising God” (Luke 24: 53). Every day, the disciples went to the temple to praise the Lord for his goodness to them.