Feast of Ascension of Our Lord (B)

 

 Ascension of Our Lord (B) [Mk 16:15-20]

12.05.2024

Jesus Commissions the Disciples and Ascends to the Father

Readings: (1) Acts 1:1-11 (2) Eph 4:1-13

1. Theme in brief

      Making the absent Lord present through our witness

2.  Focus Statement

We are called to make the ascended and exalted Lord Jesus present to the whole of creation through the proclamation of the Good News of salvation and continuation of his ministry.

3.  Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel text speaks about the missionary mandate given by the Risen Lord to the eleven disciples just before his ascension. It contains the following elements: (1) going into the whole world and proclaiming the good news of salvation to the whole of creation (16:15); (2) bringing salvation to those who believe and a sort of self-condemnation to those who deliberately refuse to believe (16:16); and (3) becoming signs of Jesus’ presence in the world by continuing his ministry of: (a) “casting out demons” which means combating evil forces; (b) “speaking in new tongues” which means either praying in tongues (or in various languages) or interpreting the gospel in a language which people can understand; (c) “picking up snakes in their hands” and “drinking deadly things” which probably refer to the persecution they will have to face because of their faith and to the promise of God’s special protection in such circumstances; and (d) “laying their hands on the sick” so that they recover, which refers to their healing ministry (cf.16:17-18). Thus, before his ascension the Risen Lord throws at them a tremendous challenge to be his witnesses in the whole world without becoming slaves to their fears (16:8) and doubts of faith (16:14), because the Risen Lord himself works with them and confirms their efforts by special signs of his protection and power (16:20).

Thus, this gospel text indicates that after his ascension, though the Risen Lord is physically absent in the world, he continues to become present to the whole creation through proclamation of the Good News of salvation and works of love done in his name (16:15). With the physical absence of the Lord, begins a new era: the time of the community of believers (the Church). Now the Church must respond to the universal mission (to “the whole of creation”) by bearing witness to the ascended Lord and make him present in the world.

At the end of today’s gospel, Mark says that after Jesus spoke these words to them he was “taken up (by the Father) into heaven” – an obvious reference to the Father’s role in his ascension – and “sat down at the right hand of God” (16:19). This metaphorical expression, repeated in other places of the NT also, has become a part of the Creed recited by us in our prayers: “He ascended into heaven and is seate d at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” God is a pure Spirit; hence, he can have neither right hand nor left hand, nor can he sit or stand. ‘Right hand’ (or ‘right side’, as some translators put it) signifies his status as the Lord of heaven and earth and ‘sitting’ points to his position of glory, power and authority. ‘Sitting’ could also mean that he dwells or abides in eternal bliss of the Father and reigns together with him with equal judiciary power and glory. It could also mean his universal Lordship expressed in the words of the Psalmist: “The Lord says to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Ps 110:1). According to St. Paul, by raising Jesus from the dead and seating him at his right hand, God has put all things under Jesus’ feet (Eph 1:20-22). This signifies his ultimate triumph or victory over three enemies: sin, Satan (that is, all the evil the forces) and death.

“Ascending into heaven” should not be taken in a literal sense to mean climbing up the steps to heaven or being elevated to the sky, but Jesus’ entry into the world (realm) of the divine (heavenly abode). It means, he is now not only alive but lives with God forever and ever. Probably, the NT authors want to say that in Jesus’ ascension,  the vision of prophet Daniel is fulfilled according to which the Messiah (“Son of Man”) is given everlasting dominion (authority), glory and kingship over all peoples, nations and languages, or over a kingdom that will never be destroyed (Dan 7:14). Now the apostles are called to bear witness to this Kingdom of the Messiah that will have no end (Lk 1:33).

4.  Application to life                     

Based on today’s gospel, we can say that the feast of Ascension proclaims the following spiritual truths: (1) the heavenly exaltation of Jesus; (2) his supremacy over all creation; (3) the relationship between the ascended Lord and his Church through the continuation of his ministry on earth; and (4) our hope/destiny of reaching where Jesus is (= at his ‘right hand’). Our reflections below focus mainly on the last two aspects.

First of all, with Jesus’ Ascension, the period of the Church begins. Henceforth, rooted in faith and empowered by the Spirit, the Church must continue to confront evil forces and be effective in healing ministry as Jesus himself was. According to today’s gospel, the signs of the ascended Lord’s continual presence in our world are: deliverance from evil, speaking new language of love, removal of poisonous elements in our society and bringing healing/comfort to the afflicted.

The missionary mandate given by Christ to preach the good news to the whole of creation applies to each one of us from the time of our baptism. The ascended Lord challenges us not to fix our gaze only to the sky, as the apostles were doing when he ascended to heaven (Acts 1:10), but to look down to the earth damaged so much by human selfishness and greed. We cannot remain here all the time looking at the sanctuary or tabernacle. We need to go out into the world and bear witness to Christ. As St. Theresa of Avila’s prayer has it: “Yours are the feet with which he (Christ) goes about doing good and yours are the hands with which he blesses us now.” The exalted Lord Jesus continues to guide us, his disciples, to incarnate his presence through the deeds of love, mercy, service done to the needy and through struggle against the powers of evil. The witness given by us through our fight against evil forces, arresting the spread of the poison of evil all over the society, speaking the language of love and reconciliation instead of hatred and division, and taking care of the sick and the afflicted makes the Risen Lord present in the world again and again.

Today, parents in the family; lay people in the parish community, workplaces, neighbourhood and village communities; lay leaders in the civil society and the Church; and priests and the Religious should think how they can continue Jesus’ ministry of ‘casting out demons’ of sin and evil; how they can speak a language of love and avoid unkind, abusive, divisive, hateful, envious and violent language of the world; how they can present the good news in a new language which modern men and women can understand; how they can provide safety and protection in ‘poisonous’  or life-threatening situations; and how thy can give a healing touch to those who are afflicted. How far are we faithful to this mission of proclaiming liberation to the ‘whole of creation’ (= all people irrespective of race/ ethnicity/ creed) from all kinds of bondages that dehumanize them?

In today’s world, everyday we are drinking ‘poison’ of crime, violence, sex and other social evils attractively and powerfully projected by the mass media. Sometimes we get a taste of this ‘poison’ in unjust social structures, corrupt environment in offices and workplaces, deadening of one’s conscience in spite of wrongdoings and immoral practices by our companions and colleagues; etc. According to Jesus’ assurance, this sort of ‘poison’ is not supposed to hurt those who are strongly attached to him by faith. Today, we need to examine ourselves and see whether this ‘poison’ has hurt us personally and our families and damaged our witnessing mission.

Secondly, the feast of Ascension is a feast of great hope and consolation for us – the hope to which we have been called, as St. Paul puts it (Eph 1:18). He further says, since we have been raised with Christ, now we must refrain from seeking only earthly things; instead seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Col 3:1-2). So we must firmly fix our gaze with hope for a ‘seat’ at God’s ‘right hand’ so that we can dwell there with eternal bliss and abide with him for ever. Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare this eternal dwelling place for us. He will return at the end of time to take us where he is (Jn 14:2 ff). Jesus’ destiny is going to be our immortal destiny too. We are destined to be with God where Jesus is, to live in an everlasting union with God. Now we should be convinced that our real country or homeland is heaven (Heb 11:16; Phil 3:20). We are called to look beyond the present passing world. When we consider the impermanence of life, we should feel how foolish it is to put our full trust in worldly things and think only about our own food, shelter, clothing, work, business, comforts and enjoyment. After all, we are not going to take anything with us at the end. Only God’s mission for which we work and service done by continuing Jesus’ ministry on earth will last for ever, and nothing else. In fact, the ministry of service laid down by Jesus and the hope to which he has called us are closely related. By faithfully continuing the ministry of Christ, we are called to bring hope in hopeless situations and a foretaste of our eternal destiny where we shall all be united in total LOVE. Christian hope is the virtue by which we desire heavenly kingdom and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on God’s grace. We are commissioned to fight against all the forces that poison hope, material and spiritual progress of humankind, and a peaceful harmony among people of all races and languages.

There are two great temptations against the virtue of hope: despair and overconfidence in one’s own capabilities. Despair and hopelessness are mainly caused by modern people’s inability to find meaning and purpose in life. From the perspective of our faith, we understand that God has a plan for each one of us. Our life becomes meaningful when we fulfil God’s purpose (for which he has placed us on this earth) freely and willingly in the way he wants. We must fulfil God’s plan with the firm hope that he cannot deceive us nor be deceived and definitely will give us the reward he has promised. This kind of hope is the anchor which helps us cope with life’s trials, sufferings, disappointments, frustrations and tensions. This is the hope which gives us the energy to cope with life under trying and frustrating situations. Failure to find meaning and hope in life could be one of the main causes for an increase in suicide (even among students) and divorce rates, drug and alcoholic addiction, violent tendencies (even among children), etc. Our modern society promotes self-centredness so much and teaches us to place complete confidence in one’s own wealth, power, status, success and achievement to gain happiness in life, instead of trusting in God. This kind of attitude generates a lot of hopelessness when many people are not able to attain these ‘promises’ advocated by the modern world, and when there is nothing else to hold on beyond these things.

5.  Response to God's Word

What is the extent of damage or harm done to our families by the ‘poison’ exposed by the mass media and evil practices we observe in the world? How does it hurt us personally and our families? Has it destroyed or drastically diminished our witnessing mission? Has the process of secularization that is advancing with greater speed made us get immersed in world’s standards like success, achievement, power, position and forget about Christ’s mission of self-forgetful service and sacrifice to the afflicted and the needy? Do we speak the language of love or hatred and envy, of peace or disharmony, of reconciliation or division, of cooperation and collaboration or non-cooperation? Do we strongly resist temptations against the virtue of hope: despair and overconfidence in our own capabilities? Does our hope in God’s promises help us cope with trials and frustrations of life?

6.  A prayer

Risen and Exalted Lord, you alone are our hope. May our hope in you be our firm anchor that helps us cope with life’s trials, sufferings, disappointments, frustrations and tensions. We repent for the times we failed to give witness to you by not continuing your ministry, and by giving in to despair and overconfidence in our own capabilities. You alone are the Lord of our life. Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory now and for ever. Amen.