I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS

ASCENSION SUNDAY - Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus had promised that he would not leave his disciples orphans (Jn 14:18). And he assures us that he is with us always, “to the end of time.”

At the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus entrusted his disciples with the mission he had received from the Father. Using the authority he received, Jesus commands us: Go and make disciples. We are ordered to go. Where? Everywhere, to all nations. We are given the mission of leading people to Jesus, that is making disciples of them. That is not done by any kind of imposition, but by a simple testimony that leads people to recognise the love of God in Jesus Christ. Once people encounter Jesus and recognise him as Christ, the Son of the living God, they must be baptised, thus being born of water and the Spirit (Jn 3:5). Grafted in Jesus Christ, they become children of God. Then, they must learn how to behave as God’s children, following the commandments that the Lord Jesus gave us.

Can we ignore the Lord’s commandment and refuse to go and announce his Gospel? Nowadays, some people consider the mission as finished and outdated. According to them, there is no need of calling others to Jesus Christ. It seems that Jesus spoke in vain and that we don’t need to obey him and to be his witnesses before the world. Today’s gospel reminds us of our duty as followers of Jesus Christ: we must announce the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. May the Lord give us the resolution, the courage and the strength to carry out the mission entrusted to us: 

“Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you.”