" And as he blessed them, he withdrew, and was taken to heaven."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Acts 1:1-11

 In the first part of my work,

Theo­philus, I wrote of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning  until the day when he ascended to heaven.

But first he had instructed through the Holy Spirit the apostles he had chosen.   After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive; over a period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them concerning the kingdom of God.  Once when he had been eating with them, he told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the fulfillment of the Father’s promise about which I have spoken to you:  John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days.”

 When they had come together, they asked him, “Is it now that you will restore the Kingdom of Israel?”   And he answered, “It is not for you to know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.”

After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight.   While they were still looking up to heaven where he went, suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them   and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him go there.”

 

Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23

Christ did not enter some sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself. He is now in the presence of God on our behalf.   He had not to offer himself many times, as the High Priest does: he who may return every year, because the blood is not his own.  

Otherwise he would have suffered many times from the creation of the world. But no; he manifested himself only now at the end of the ages, to take away sin by sac­rifice,  and, as humans die only once and afterwards are judged,   in the same way Christ sacrificed himself once to take away the sins of the multitude. There will be no further question of sin when he comes again to save those waiting for him.

So, my friends, we are assured of entering the Sanctuary by the blood of Jesus  who opened for us this new and living way passing through the curtain, that is, his body.   Because we have a high priest in charge of the House of God,   let us approach with a sincere heart, with full faith, interiorly cleansed from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

 Let us hold fast to our hope with­out wavering, because he who promised is faithful.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 24:46-53

“You see what was written: the Messiah had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.   Then repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.   Now you shall be witnesses to this. And this is why I will send you what my Father promised. So remain in the city until you are invested with power from above.”

Jesus led them almost as far as Bethany; then he lifted up his hands and blessed them.   And as he blessed them, he withdrew (and was taken to heaven. They worshiped him).   They returned to Jeru­salem full of joy and   were continually in the Temple praising God.

 

  Gospel Reflection：

Feast of Hope

Read:

Both the First Reading and the Gospel speak of the event of ascension of the Lord. The Letter to the Hebrews speaks of the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ that gives us hope for a share in his glory.

Reflect:

Just as the Passover marked the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt, the Passion and Resurrection of Christ won for us liberation form the slavery to sin. However, the Israelites had to travel for 40 long years to finally enter the Promised Land.

The Ascension of Christ happens 40days after the Resurrection, showing us where we are headed to: redeemed from slavery to sin, we are now to walk the “forties” to enter the final promise – a definitive share in the Triune life of Glory, into which Christ, as the firstborn has ascended, as a promise and hope for us.

The Spirit would soon descend, to accompany us in the journey of the forties all the way to where Christ is. So, “why keep looking up at the sky?” Let’s get bust living get busy loving, preaching and practicing repentance and forgiveness for all.

Pray:

Pray for those who live without hope to find hope in God.

Act:

Help someone to ascend from hopelessness to a life of hope.