YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES TO THE END OF THE EARTH

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD - 

FIRST READING - Acts 1: 1-11 - Sitting at the table with the disciples, Jesus gives them the last instructions. They must remain in Jerusalem until they are baptised with the Holy Spirit. It should be noted that Jesus speaks of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles as a baptism, which has no possible comparison with the baptism of John, which is a baptism with water baptism, that is, an earthly baptism, expressing a human of showing repentance. By being baptised with the Spirit, we receive His strength that gives you the courage and daring to be witnesses of Jesus Christ everywhere, "to the ends of the earth." Although Jesus exercised his ministry within the borders of the people of Israel, he prepared the disciples for a universal mission, where there will be no more boundaries. We are called to respond to the call of the Lord who sends us to be his witnesses and proclaim his Gospel.

SECOND READING - Ephesians 1: 17-23 - In the second reading, Paul presents us with another dimension of the Holy Spirit - He is "the Spirit of wisdom," which reveals to us the mystery of God. It is he who enlightens the eyes of our heart, to know him and recognise the hope he gives us. Without Him, we cannot recognise all that He has done and does on our behalf. The wisdom given to us by the Spirit makes it possible to recognise the resurrection of Jesus as the fruit of God's victorious action. Jesus was raised and exalted, and so there is nothing and no one superior to him since the Father has submitted everything "at his feet and gave him, as the head that dominates everything, to the Church." Jesus Christ, in whom the fullness of God is revealed "who fills all in all," is the head of the Church. As part of his body, we too will share his glory.

GOSPEL - Luke 24: 46-53 - In the Gospel, we hear Jesus speaking of the Holy Spirit as a force that will transform the disciples and make them his witnesses. The Holy Spirit will help to understand the Scriptures, which prophesied that "the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead." Therefore, our witness should focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is the "mystery of faith” that we proclaim in the celebration of the Eucharist. Besides giving testimony, the disciples of Jesus are called to preach "repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations in his name."