Ascension Sunday (Year A) June 1, 2014 I. GOSPEL READING (Matthew 28:16-20) The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Points for Reflection The final scene in Galilee is Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Ascension (Mt. 28:16-20), bringing his long Gospel account to a fitting conclusion. Consistent with his presentation of Jesus, Matthew ends not with a visual representation of Jesus’ heavenly power, but with a profoundly simple scene featuring his words as our great teacher and master (Mt. 23:8-10). 1. The Eleven Disciples The eleven disciples made their way to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. They are no longer twelve, the symbolic number that gave them continuity with the long history of Judaism. They are eleven, a sad reminder of that one tragic defection. Yet, in spite of such a seemingly blatant failure, the Risen Lord entrusted them with the vision and mission. 2. The Vision and Mission Claiming full power in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28: 18), Jesus gives the eleven the mission “to make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28: 19). Baptism is our means of entering into the community of disciples of the Risen One. The baptismal formula – “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” – not only contains the clearest expression in the New Testament of Trinitarian belief, but it also designates the effect of Baptism which is the union of the baptized with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus envisions for us: a community of disciples living in the fullness of divine life. 3. In the Fullness of Divine Life The words – “And behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20) – explains this. Matthew brings us back to the beginning of his gospel when Jesus is given the name “Emmanuel” which is both a prayer and plea (on our part) and a promise and declaration (on God’s part). When we pronounce the word, we are really praying and pleading: “God, be with us!” And when God speaks it, He is telling us: “I am with you” in Jesus. In that name, we find the answer to humanity’s deepest longings for God throughout the ages. At the conclusion of the Gospel, the name Emmanuel is alluded to when the Risen Jesus assures his disciples of his continued presence: “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt. 28: 20). God did indeed keep his promise in Jesus. And this is the consoling image of the Ascension: He never leaves us. 4. The Ascension – A Paradox Pope Benedict XVI gives us insight of this paradox in his book, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Because Jesus is with the Father, he has not gone away but remains close to us. Now, he is no longer in one particular place as he had been before the Ascension. Through his power over space and time, he is present and accessible to all – throughout history and in every place. A story in the Gospel (Mk 6:45–52; Mt. 14:22-36; John 6:16-24) makes it easier for us to understand this. After the multiplication of the bread, Jesus makes the disciples get into the boat and go before him to Bethsaida on the opposite shore, while he himself dismisses the people. He then goes up on the mountain to pray. Along comes a headwind, and the lake becomes turbulent. With the disciples left all by themselves in the boat - as the Lord seems to be far away in prayer on his mountain - they are threatened by the power of the waves and the storm. But, because Jesus is with the Father, he sees them and he comes to them across the water. He gets into the boat with his disciples and makes it possible for them to continue their journey. 5. Our Life in the Ascension Because Jesus is on the mountain of the Father, he sees us; and he can get into the boat of our life at any moment. Therefore, let us always call on him; certain that he sees and hears us. In our day, also, the boat of the Church travels against the headwind of history through the turbulent ocean of time; often looking as though it is about to sink. But, the Lord is there, and always he comes at the right moment: “I go away, and I will come to you.” In the paradox of Ascension, we find the essence of trust and hope. II. OUR LADY’S MESSAGE: THE HOLY MOUNTAIN” (Message 268) July 16, 1983 Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel a. Ascend with me, beloved sons, the holy mountain of your perfect conformity to Jesus. b. How many times my Son Jesus lovingly ascended the mountains, impelled by an ardent desire for solitude and silence, to live with greater intensity his union with the Father! c. From the time of his adolescence, He often sought refuge in the hills surrounding Nazareth; it was on a mountain that He promulgated the evangelical Law of the Beatitudes; it was on Mount Tabor that He experienced the ecstasy of his transfiguration; in Jerusalem, a city on a mountain, He gathered his own together for the Last Supper and endured the sorrowful hours of his interior agony; on Mount Calvary He consummated his Sacrifice; on the Mount of Olives his final separation from his disciples took place, in the glorious Ascension into heaven. d. Today ascend with me the holy mountain which is Jesus Christ, so that you can enter into a life of intimacy with Him. In these times of my decisive battle, each of you has been called to combat, armed with the very light of Christ, because you must be his own presence in the world. e. For this reason, ascend the holy mountain of his wisdom, which is revealed to you if you remain little, humble and poor. Your minds will be drawn towards his divine mind, and you will penetrate into the secret of truth revealed in Holy Scripture; you will be captivated by the beauty of his Gospel, and with courage you will pronounce the word of Jesus to the men of today, that word which alone illumines and can lead to the fullness of the truth. f. Ascend the holy mountain of his Heart, so that you may be transformed by the burning bush of his divine charity. g. Then your hearts will be dilated and molded after his, and in the world you will be the very pulsations themselves of the Heart of Jesus, which seeks above all those who are furthest away, and wishes to envelop all in the flames of his infinite mercy. h. You will become meek and humble of heart; you will be truly able to love; you will pour balm on the grievous wounds of the suffering and of those most in need; you will give your priestly help especially to those who have lost themselves along the road of iniquity and sin. In this way with your love, you will bring an immense number of my children to the path of salvation. i. Ascend the holy mountain of his divine humanity, in order to become reflections of his perennial immolation for you: his eyes in your eyes, his hands in your hands, his Heart in your hearts, his sufferings in your sufferings, his wounds in your wounds, his Cross in your cross. j. In this way you will become the potent presence of Jesus who, by means of you, can still today work mightily to bring all to salvation. In this salvation is the triumph of my Immaculate Heart; in it is to be found the conclusion of the battle to which I have summoned you and the realization of my heralded victory. k. Therefore, beloved sons, it now becomes more urgent than ever to follow me, your heavenly Leader. Ascend with me, then, the holy mountain that is Christ, to become perfectly assimilated to Him, so that He may live again in each of you, in order to bring all men to salvation. Points for Reflection Our Lady uses the image of “ascending the holy mountain” to point to us the way to our perfect union with Jesus – another way of looking at the Ascension. Thus, her invitation: “Ascend with me, beloved sons, the holy mountain of your perfect conformity to Jesus.” (268 a) 1. The Mountain To initiate us into this perfect union – a way of living in the Ascension – she mentions the significance of the mountain: a place for “solitude and silence,” and for “intense union” with God. “How many times my Son Jesus lovingly ascended the mountains . . . From the time of his adolescence, he often sought refuge in the hills surrounding Nazareth; it was on a mountain that he promulgated the evangelical Law of the Beatitudes; it was on Mount Tabor that he experienced the ecstasy of his transfiguration; in Jerusalem, a city on a mountain, he gathered his own together for the Last Supper and endured the sorrowful hours of his interior agony; on Mount Calvary, he consummated his Sacrifice; on the Mount of Olives his final separation from his disciples took place, and in the glorious Ascension into heaven.” (268 c) 2. Jesus, the Holy Mountain Jesus is the “holy mountain.” Ascending this mountain with Our Lady by living our consecration to Her Heart brings us into this “life of intimacy with Him” (268 d) – the perfect union. - We must ascend the holy mountain of his wisdom, in order for our minds to become one with his divine mind for us to be able to penetrate the truth as revealed in the Scriptures and with courage proclaim this truth (268 e). - We must ascend the holy mountain of his Heart, in order for our own hearts to be transformed that we may love with his very own love (268 f-h). - We must ascend the holy mountain of his divine humanity, that we may become the potent presence of Jesus in our times who in us, can still work mightily to bring all to salvation. (268 i-k) 3. Ascend with Me To reach the summit of the mountain which is our perfect assimilation to Jesus, we need Our Lady. She, according to St. Louis de Montfort, is the “most conformed to Jesus,” and therefore, the best one to effect the same in us. Through our consecration to her, she transforms us and forms in us the image of her Son. “This act has been taken seriously by me, and it has in itself the capacity of truly changing and transforming your life. With this act, you have put your life in my hands. Now it belongs to me. I have taken possession of it; and now, bit by bit, I am transforming it according to my will. Gently will I lead you to that perfection which is pleasing to my Heart, and little by little, I will transform you into a very faithful image of my Son Jesus.” (22 c-e) Our consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the beginning of our own ascension. Let us live it daily. Happy Ascension Sunday! God bless you all! Yours in the Immaculate Heart, Fr. Omer
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 09:33:49 +0000
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