OMELIE / Omelie EN

02 giu 2019

02/06/2019 - The Ascension of the Lord - C 

02/06/2019 - The Ascension of the Lord - C 

Reading 1 ACTS 1,1-11 * Psalm 46 * Reading 2 HEB 9,24-28; 10,19-23 * Gospel LK 24,46-53

Today we rejoice for a new event. The Lord Jesus, who could be seen for forty days by His disciples, “was lifted up”, disappearing from their view. From today on, His disciples know that He has been welcomed into heaven, they know He has pleased the Father and that He sits at His right hand receiving the authority of universal judge. Saint Luke is telling us, both at the end of the Gospel and at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, about the very moment of this odd goodbye. It is a goodbye, but only apparently, because Jesus will always be with His own people, according His promises, even if not in a visible manner. From now on they will live a new experience of their faith! He is in the heavens forever, then the words He has said and the actions he has performed while He was here on Earth will always be a firm reference. His words and promises are and will always be valid for all men, because He is with God. The words He has left can remain as strong beacon, as guide and criteria for every decision of ours.

The disciples are left alone, but without feeling abandoned. Jesus promises to give them His Spirit, like Elijah has left Elisha his mantle, and His Spirit will cover them in strength and wisdom for the task to preach “repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, to all the nations” “in his name”. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus had made Himself known more than once, in a way not to leave them in any doubt regarding His resurrection, that remains anyway impossible to understand, and he has talked again about that kingdom which he had dedicated many parables to, the kingdom which they would have to serve in. The kingdom does not have to be object of curiosity, but of effort, love, witnessing through the offering of one’s own life .The kingdom of God need to gather men, purified from sin, in order for them to receive life and enjoy all the joy human life is capable of. Not to be able to see Jesus with our eyes it is not a disadvantage for us. The letter to the Hebrews, in fact, tells us about the grace we receive from the fact that Jesus is in heaven: He has reached it full of love for us, therefore we can approach God fully trustful! His passion and death is a sacrifice of never-ending value, which does not need to be renewed. Because He has loved us till death, He brings in front of God also His great love for us! We can also live with serenity and hope on earth too, in this world, because the same Jesus will come back, and coming back He will recognize us as His own.

Jesus coming back is the message brought by “two men dressed in white garments” talking to the disciples who, amazed, are asking themselves what meaning to give to Jesus’ ascension into heaven. He will return, therefore we need to live being faithful to Him. In many parables He has spoken about a man going far away, but coming back eventually to check what his servants have been doing: he will check if they have remained his servants or if they have become their own masters, if they have been obedient to his teachings or if they have started to attend their own businesses, if they have continued to love him or if they have forgotten him. Indeed, now it is the moment to understand those parables: the man going away for a long time is Him Himself, Jesus, but His own people will stay faithful: He, in fact, will come back, He will judge, He will reward and welcome in His joy whoever have been waiting for Him.

Lord Jesus, You have said “If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father”: with our singing and our love for each other we would like to show You the joy to be able to see You sitting at the right hand of the Father! Your glory is for us strength and safety, it gives us courage and pushes us to keep loving You and serving You, living united for love of you. We give You thanks because from Heaven You keep breathing on us Your Spirit, and so we continue to be the pleasant perfume of Your invisible presence among us! Nobody can see You with their own eyes, but everyone can feel and receive the benefit of your presence through our obedience to You, the obedience that makes us patient, humble, ready to see the true needs of the brothers who are most in pain! Adoration and honor to You, Lord Jesus!