YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

SOLEMNITY OF ASCENSION - Acts 1:1-11

Luke introduces the book of the Acts of the Apostles as a continuation of the gospel, which he wrote before. He begins with a summary of the experience of the Risen Lord: “He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God.” The forty days period was a very special time during which the disciples felt the living presence of Jesus, thus recognising him as the Lord. The passion and death on the cross had left the disciples hopeless with a big sense of loss. How could a man dead on a cross be the Messiah? The people of Israel waited for a powerful king that would take back the throne of David, conquer the world and govern it with God’s righteousness. However, in the end, all seemed to be nor more than an illusion. That’s why the forty days experience of the living Christ was of paramount importance. Despite that, the misunderstandings persisted and they questioned Jesus about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel: “Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Up to the last moment, they were dreaming of earthly power. And Jesus’ answer was clear: “It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority”. Instead of looking for power, wealth and glory, they must prepare themselves to receive the Holy Spirit, who will enable them to become true witnesses of Jesus Christ: 

“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus entrusts his mission to the disciples - a worldwide mission - “to the ends of the earth”, which will be possible through the guidance and the power that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Then “as he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight.”

In the responsorial Psalm (Ps 47), we find these words, which are applied to the Ascension of Jesus:

“God goes up with shouts of joy;

  the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.”

The cloud is also a sign of God’s presence and glory. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul explains the dimension of Jesus’ glory:

God’s power was made manifest “when he used it to raise him (Christ) from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church” (Ep 1:20-22)

Let’s trust Jesus’ promise: The Holy Spirit will come upon us so that we may become true disciples and witnesses of Jesus. Let us prepare ourselves to the great celebration of the Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit.