Fr. Erik Tjeunfin sx
The Feast of the Ascension is the 'beginning' of a missionary life. The moment and the message of the Ascension is very significant so much so that the first disciples, and later, lay and consecrated people, founders of religious congregations and communities, decided to dedicate their whole lives to spreading God's message. In today's Gospel, Matthew describes to us how the event of the ascension took place. He shows how Jesus, our Lord and God, had planned to say farewell to his disciples. Despite the incompleteness of the number and their imperfection of being in doubt about Him, Jesus persisted to gather them and give them his great mandate. Until his last minutes on earth, Jesus experienced human wounds and ascended to heaven bearing wounds caused by us. This helps us understand that despite our faults and limitations, God remains close to us and makes us his messengers.
Furthermore, the ascension of Jesus reveals to us that it is necessary to let go of God, in order to achieve our own good and growth. Jesus says "I must tell you the truth. It is for your own good that I am going because unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" (Jn 16:7). God's goodness, mercy and love are only experienced when we let go of something or someone. The coming of the Advocate (Holy Spirit) promised by Jesus is the sign and assurance that God wants to relate with his disciples in a different way. Beforehand, he was present physically with his disciples, but now he sends them to preach his Word. At this point we see how Jesus continued to cherish trust with his disciples, and how the transition of going and carrying out the mission took place. Just like every transition of religious and political leadership brings excitement and challenges, so most probably the eleven disciples experienced joy, but also hesitation and confusion in this process. Because from now on, they will be the ones to take control and organize how to preach the Gospel. However, Jesus assured them that he would still be with them until the end of time.
Moreover, the great mandate of Jesus to his disciples at this time is to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the trinitarian God, and teach them to observe all the commandments. It is true that Jesus was born and preached in a specific place. But it does not mean that his Word is only intended for that specific place and people. By delegating his disciples to preach the Gospel, Jesus wants to make his message known to all nations. He asks his disciples to baptize those who believe in the name of the trinitarian God. That is, to incorporate them into the communion with God and to lead them to create communion in their families and societies. Those who follow other religions we treat them as brothers and sisters, and with them, too, we create communion because they are children of God. Jesus asked his disciples to teach the people to observe the commandments of God. It means to create a new attitude so that people may feel at home with and assimilate God's word. It is easy to baptize people, but it is very challenging to form in them a new mind and a new heart.
The feast of the Ascension invites us to take very seriously the mission given to us by God, to go and preach the Gospel, and to be in communion with God and with our brothers and sisters and to observe his commandments until our last day. It is a very challenging mission, but God's Spirit is always with us. Amen.
Fr Erik Tjeunfin,sx
The Feast of the Ascension is the 'beginning' of a missionary life. The moment and the message of the Ascension is very significant so much so that the first disciples, and later, lay and consecrated people, founders of religious congregations and communities, decided to dedicate their whole lives to spreading God's message. In today's Gospel, Matthew describes to us how the event of the ascension took place. He shows how Jesus, our Lord and God, had planned to say farewell to his disciples. Despite the incompleteness of the number and their imperfection of being in doubt about Him, Jesus persisted to gather them and give them his great mandate. Until his last minutes on earth, Jesus experienced human wounds and ascended to heaven bearing wounds caused by us. This helps us understand that despite our faults and limitations, God remains close to us and makes us his messengers.
Furthermore, the ascension of Jesus reveals to us that it is necessary to let go of God, in order to achieve our own good and growth. Jesus says "I must tell you the truth. It is for your own good that I am going because unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" (Jn 16:7). God's goodness, mercy and love are only experienced when we let go of something or someone. The coming of the Advocate (Holy Spirit) promised by Jesus is the sign and assurance that God wants to relate with his disciples in a different way. Beforehand, he was present physically with his disciples, but now he sends them to preach his Word. At this point we see how Jesus continued to cherish trust with his disciples, and how the transition of going and carrying out the mission took place. Just like every transition of religious and political leadership brings excitement and challenges, so most probably the eleven disciples experienced joy, but also hesitation and confusion in this process. Because from now on, they will be the ones to take control and organize how to preach the Gospel. However, Jesus assured them that he would still be with them until the end of time.
Moreover, the great mandate of Jesus to his disciples at this time is to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the trinitarian God, and teach them to observe all the commandments. It is true that Jesus was born and preached in a specific place. But it does not mean that his Word is only intended for that specific place and people. By delegating his disciples to preach the Gospel, Jesus wants to make his message known to all nations. He asks his disciples to baptize those who believe in the name of the trinitarian God. That is, to incorporate them into the communion with God and to lead them to create communion in their families and societies. Those who follow other religions we treat them as brothers and sisters, and with them, too, we create communion because they are children of God. Jesus asked his disciples to teach the people to observe the commandments of God. It means to create a new attitude so that people may feel at home with and assimilate God's word. It is easy to baptize people, but it is very challenging to form in them a new mind and a new heart.
The feast of the Ascension invites us to take very seriously the mission given to us by God, to go and preach the Gospel, and to be in communion with God and with our brothers and sisters and to observe his commandments until our last day. It is a very challenging mission, but God's Spirit is always with us. Amen.
Fr Erik Tjeunfin,sx