The Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11, Heb. 9:24-28.10:19-23, Lk. 24:46-53. In the Ascension of the Lord we celebrate the Christian sense of exaltation of Jesus to God’s right hand. We find it in the closing stanza of the remarkable christological hymn: “Therefore, God also highly exalted him and gave him the name above every name...” (Phil. 2:2:9-11). At the completion of the Messianic work, we experience the subjugation of all hostile powers in the world. The same sense of enthronement, finds expression in the frequent reference in the New Testament to Jesus’ sitting at God’s right hand – an allusion to Ps 110:1.

The second reading considers the “exaltation” of the risen Lord in different mode. The background presents yearly entrance of the Jewish High Priest into the innermost sanctuary of the Temple, the Holy of Holies, on the Day of Atonement. On that day the High Priest sprinkled the blood of a sacrificial animal over the cover of the ark of the covenant, enacting in this way God’s wiping away of the accumulated sins of the people. Having purified us and washed us clean with His blood, He has taken us with Him into the very presence of God. Therefore, we must pay attention to what Jesus is telling us in today’s Gospel. As an experienced Master, He knows the terrain of our everyday walk. He knows how delicate the hearts of men of our age are. He knows how tough our task is and what it takes to be successful. He knows that only the Holy Spirit can help us. Today, Jesus reminds us that irrespective of our knowledge and human capabilities we need a Divine help in order to succeed.

May the Lord enlighten our hearts to be more aware of the exhortation of Christ! Amen!! Good morning and have a glorious day!!!