Ascension of Our
Lord [Mt 28:16-20]
17.05.2026
The Commissioning of the Disciples
Readings: (1) Acts 1:1-11
(2) Eph 1:17-23
1, Theme in
brief:
Submission to Christ’s authority
and trust in his presence
2. Focus Statement:
The feast of Ascension invites us to submit
ourselves to the total authority given to Christ by the Father; experience his
permanent presence in all situations of life and in the Word and sacraments;
and to put all people into contact with his values.
3. Explanation
of the text
According to
today’s gospel text, the Risen Lord had directed the Eleven disciples to go to
a mountain in Galilee where he would meet them (28:10, 16). It is interesting to note that Matthew begins
and ends his gospel in Galilee. He says that Jesus had inaugurated his public
ministry in “Galilee of
the Gentiles” (Mt 4:15), and
now he concludes it in the same region with the Great Commission given in today’
gospel. Galilee was a region with a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles. It was
despised by the respectable Jews in Judea as dull and backward. For them it was
a land in darkness (Mt 4:16). The very fact that Jesus began and
concluded his public ministry in this backward (“dark”) region with a mixed
population points to the
universality of his mission (both
for Jews and Gentiles) and his preferential option for the backward or the marginalized.
Today’s text that records Jesus' parting words to his disciples according to Matthew’s
gospel, is commonly referred to as the Great Commission. For the first Christians, these words provided the basis
for the great missionary movement for the cause of Christ and the foundation of
the believers’ community that later on became the Church. This mission command given by Jesus
mentions the words “all” four times: (1) “all
authority”
given to him by the Father; (2) his command to make disciples of “all nations” that includes all humanity; (3) teaching
them to observe or practice “all
that he has commanded,” especially to put into action his commandment of love; and
(4) his assurance to remain with them “always” or at all
times (28:18-20). All authority in heaven and on earth given to him by the
Father indicates his universal
and cosmic authority over the whole of creation. Because of his
universal authority, he can command a universal mission to "all
nations." Besides the universality
of his mission, the word “all” (repeated four times) also implies a total transformation
of God’s creation and all of human activities with the teachings of Christ, and
an assurance of his accompaniment throughout our life.
Jesus
follows his declaration of universal authority with a threefold commission (or
missionary charge): (1) to ‘make disciples’ of ‘all nations’ (including
the Gentiles); (2) to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit; and (3) to teach others all that he had been communicating to them (28:19-20). The
command to baptize people is not given in the name of Jesus alone, but in the
name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus instructs them to observe all that
he has commanded
them (28:20) – a clear reference to his commandment of love by which they are
to build up a community of loving relationships and teach its members to love one another as he
loved his disciples.
Finally, Jesus makes a profound
promise or assurance of his continuing, abiding presence with his disciples
with the words: “I am with you always to the end of the age” (28:20). At the
beginning of his gospel, Matthew identifies Jesus as ‘Emmanuel’ prophesized by Isaiah,
which means “God
is with us” (1:23). As he ascends to heaven, Jesus, who is born as
God-with-us, promises to remain as God with his disciples always, to the end of
the age (28:20). Thus, Matthew’s gospel begins with the assurance of God
to remain with us through incarnation, and ends with the same assurance that he
will remain with us till the end of the age. Though from the day of Ascension, the
physical (yet glorious) appearances of the Risen Lord to his disciples come to
an end, he assures them his continual presence in spirit. He wants that they
should remind
themselves about this assurance always (28:20).
Hence, on Ascension Day we celebrate not Christ’s departure (absence)
from this world but his continued presence as the One who is with us always.
What was the response of
the disciples when they were reunited with the Lord on the mountain at Galilee?
Today’s text says that when they saw him they worshipped him, though some of
them doubted (28:17). Though doubt and worship do not go hand in hand,
occasional doubts are possible, because we do not understand the mystery of God
fully. This text invites us to respond to Christ’s permanent presence among us either with
doubt in
its truth or with adoration at his divine majesty just like the
eleven disciples (28:17).
4. Application to life
Today’s gospel text
asserts that Jesus has been given supreme authority (dominion)
over all creation (28:18) by his Father. He is now the Lord of heaven and earth.
This authority corresponds to the symbolic expression found in the NT in a
number of places that Jesus is now “seated at the right hand of the Father” (Lk
22:69; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Heb 12:2); that is, he is equal to
God in power and might. To put it in human language, this authority is like a reward
given to him by the Father for his total fidelity to his mission or for
faithfully completing
the work of redemption through his passion, death and resurrection. This feast
is a feast of great hope for us. Jesus gives us the assurance that we too shall
be where he is, if we too faithfully complete the mission of our life entrusted
to us by God as humans and most specially as Christians.
Today, on the feast of
Ascension, the Church proclaims Jesus’ dominion over heaven and earth. This
implies that nothing is outside his power. As St. Paul asserts, God has put all
things under his feet (Eph. 1:20-21). Let us examine and see whether we allow
Christ to have total
dominion (authority) over our minds, hearts, dealings and
activities. Today’s feast invites us to submit ourselves to the authority of Christ
over our lives. If we do not care to submit to his total dominion over all that
we are, all that we do, all that we shall be, then we shall frequently submit
ourselves to our moods, whims and fancies, worldly standards and habits and
addictions.
During the Holy Mass,
when we sing the most ancient liturgical hymn called ‘Gloria,’ we say: “You alone are
the Lord; you alone are the Most High!” Today’s feast poses a
question before us whether Christ is the only Lord of our life, or there are other
lords and gods whom we adore with equal devotion. Those of us who are in
positions of authority such as parents, teachers, leaders (both in the Church
and civil society), administrators, pastors and superiors have to see whether we
behave as if we are the only ‘the lords’. When we are in positions of authority
and leadership, if others notice misuse of authority or authoritarianism,
intimidation, lack of consultation, one-man show and making everybody else
dance to one’s own tune, it indicates that we show in our attitudes, “I alone am the
lord,” though in the church we say, “You (Christ) alone are the
Lord.” Any misuse of power and position in order to take revenge or to exploit those
who are powerless goes against this faith. There are also other things and
substances which can become our ‘lords’ or in biblical metaphor our ‘idols,’
such as money or wealth, drugs, alcohol, sex, TV, mobile phone, computer and
internet, when we get addicted to any of these things. So, the
question is who the Lord of our lives is really.
Since “all authority in
heaven and on earth” has been given to the glorified Lord (28:18), now before
he ascends to heaven, he commissions his disciples with the same authority to preach,
baptize and teach all
nations (28:18-20). Hence, today’s feast reminds us about our own
responsibility to preach the gospel of Christ in word and deed, especially by
bearing witness
to the values of the gospel and by putting
all people into contact with these values. Are we
shy or ashamed to speak about the values of the gospel to our children,
neighbours and especially to people of other faiths? Do we teach our children
the truths of our faith handed down to us from the apostolic times?
In the explanation of
the text, we saw that Jesus began and ended his public ministry in the marginalized
region
of Galilee. If so, today’s gospel reminds us about our special concern for
those who are the least and the last or the helpless and the voiceless. It also
reminds duty to teach children the values of the gospel by word and example.
For instance, we can teach them the value of sharing by asking them to give a
piece of their snacks to some else’s child; or teach them the value of
forgiveness and reconciliation by making them ask pardon after fighting with siblings
or other children. After making them do these things, it is necessary to tell
them why these values are important to us as children of God and disciples of
Christ.
The word “baptism”
literally means to be immersed or to take a plunge in water. Thus, Jesus’
commission to baptize
people not in his name alone, but in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit implies that his disciples must take a plunge into
the inner life of the
Triune God himself (28:19). The basic traits of the inner life of the Holy Trinity
are communion, transparent relationships, communication and understanding.
Today, it is good to examine whether we reflect the glimpses of transparency
and depth-level
communication that exist within the Divine Family (Holy Trinity) in
our natural families and religious communities. Instead of experiencing glimpses of the
Heavenly Family, we often experience the shadows of individualism, superficial
communication, secretive and non-transparent behaviour/ dealings and a lack of
respect for one another’s differences in our families and religious communities.
Do we make sincere efforts build up closer bonds of love among us, so that
others will come to know the Risen Lord is not absent but still present
in our midst?
Jesus who came to remain with us as Emmanuel, promises
to remain with
us always till the end of time. He is not absent but present in all our situations,
problems and struggles. The feast of Ascension invites us to acknowledge his permanent presence in all
situations of life and in the Word and sacraments. What a consolation to have him as a friend
who walks neither ahead of us nor behind us, but along with us in our joys,
sorrows, struggles, frustrations, tensions, crises and death. He has given us
the assurance to make common cause with us to share our sorrows, to
rejoice in our joys and to carry the burdens of our sins. We need to consciously
invite him to remain with us, especially when we are in distress.
When we listen to his Word in faith, he speaks to us personally and inspires us
to respond to a particular issue the way he wants. He tells us through his
Word: “Remember, I am with you in your struggles and problems.” His presence
becomes more real and intense as often as we receive the Eucharist. In the Eucharist,
God-with-us comes to us in the form of food and drink to become one with us
very intimately and to stay with us in all our situations. The gospel challenges
us either to believe in his presence in the Eucharist with total adoration and
surrender, or to doubt as some of the disciples did when they saw him on the
mountain in Galilee.
Christ’s command to make
disciples of all nations and teach them all that he has commanded, puts on us
the responsibility
of bearing a strong witness to his gospel-values so that people of
all nations are attracted to him. He wants that we should not only bear witness
to his values in word and deed, but also make efforts to teach them to all people. Again,
this command puts another responsibility especially on Christian parents to transmit faith
and apostolic tradition faithfully to their children.
5.
Response to God's Word
Is Christ the only Lord
of our life, or are there other lords whom we adore? Does his lasting,
strengthening and assuring presence affect our way of thinking and acting? Is
our life a witness to the fact that Jesus lives in us? Do we follow all that he
has commanded, or follow him selectively, accepting what we like and leaving
out the rest? Does our life reflect the depth-level communication and understanding
that exists within the Holy Trinity? Do we teach others to live by this communion?
Are our relationships in family and community transparent? Do we transmit the
apostolic faith to those who are put under our charge?
6.
A Prayer
Lord Jesus, we proclaim you
as the Lord of heaven and earth. You alone are the Lord!; you alone are the
Most High. We accept your total dominion over us. We are sorry for the times we
made other things and ourselves as the lords of our lives. Thank you for your
assurance to remain with us till the end of the age. What a consolation to have
you as our friend who walks neither ahead of us nor behind us, but along with
us in our joys, sorrows, struggles, frustrations, tensions, crises and death. Thank
you for your powerful presence in the Word and the sacraments. Grant that we
may be faithful to your teaching and faithfully transmit them to our posterity.
Amen.
