Words of Spirit and Life

Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 46: 2-3. 6-7. 8-9. R/ v. 6; Hebrews 9:24-28. 10:19-23

Luke 24: 46-53

Theme: THE LORD ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN TO SEND US THE HOLY

 SPIRIT SO THAT WE MAY PREACH THE GOOD NEWS AND SO

 THAT WE MAY ASCEND INTO HEAVEN WITH HIM  

1. Today we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven. The Lord ascends into heaven, not to abandon us, but to send us the Holy Spirit, so that we can preach the good news of “repentance for the forgiveness of sins”; so that we can become his witnesses; and so that one day we will also ascend into heaven with him, body and soul, in glory!     

    The gospel today tells us that the Lord ascends into heaven, but more importantly, the gospel today tells us that the Lord will send us the Holy Spirit so that we can preach the good news of “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” and so that we can become his witnesses beginning from Jerusalem! 

2. The first reading follows the theme of the gospel. The first reading tells us that the Lord ascends into heaven, but more importantly, the first reading tells us that the Lord will send us the Holy Spirit so that we can become his witnesses beginning from Jerusalem, then to Judea, then to Samaria, then to the ends of the earth! That is, to the Jews (Judea), then to the “half-Jews” (Samaria), then to the non-Jews (Gentiles/Pagans)! (Faley)  

3. The Responsorial Psalm follows the theme of the first reading. The Responsorial Psalm tells us that the Lord ascends into heaven as king. He sits on the throne to rule the whole world. We are to acknowledge his kingship! Thus the Response of the Responsorial Psalm:

    “God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.” (Ps 46 (47): 6)

    The Response of the Responsorial Psalm is taken from the second stanza of the Responsorial Psalm. The second stanza tells us that the Lord ascends into heaven as king. (Ps 46 (47): 6-7) The third stanza tells us that he sits on the throne to rule the whole world. (Ps 46 (47): 8-9) And the first stanza tells us that we are to acknowledge his kingship! (Ps 46 (47): 2-3) (CSB)

4. Finally, the second reading tells us that the Lord ascends into heaven, but most importantly, the second reading tells us that one day we will also ascend into heaven with the Lord, body and soul (Lectio Divina, May 2010), in glory! (Fuller)     

5. Today as we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven and as we look forward to celebrate Pentecost next Sunday, let us pray for the gift of he Holy Spirit, so that we can preach the good news of “repentance for the forgiveness of sins”, and so that we can become witnesses of the Resurrection to the ends of the earth, and so that one day we will also ascend into heaven with the Lord in glory!

                                                                                                                                    Amen!

Fr. Nicholas Ong, Holy Trinity Church, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

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