Ascension is a Call to Mission

When the parish priest was greeting people after the Easter Celebration, he saw somebody new in the crowd. Gently he approached him and said: “Would you like to join the army of Jesus Christ?” “I am already a member of the army of Christ,” he replied. “ But I never see you here!” the priest replied. “Oh! I am in the secret service!” he answered.

This Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, His glorious entry into heaven. The Ascension is not only about Jesus but also about each one of us. The two sets of instructions that were given to the disciples by Jesus and the Angel undoubtedly underline this point. For example: The Angel said to the disciples: Why are you standing here looking at the sky? Jesus said to them: You will receive the power from the Holy Spirit and you will be my witness in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth (Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11). If we put together these two statements, one thing becomes clear, namely, the Ascension is a commissioning. It is an invitation to take up the mission of Jesus. According to Luke, Jesus finished his earthly journey in Jerusalem and the disciples have to continue the journey of Jesus from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

The Challenges of the Ascension!

First of all, our mission is to establish the Kingdom of God. As Jesus rightly corrected his disciples, establishing the Kingdom consists primarily in ‘witnessing Jesus’ than building up a social institution. Kingdom of God is neither a territory nor an organization but it is the reign of God in human hearts. The key to evangelization is manifesting God’s reign in each one of us. Once a Bishop said, “One of the means we adapt to evangelize non –Christians is to encourage catholic families to come and stay with the non Christians for a period of time.” The principle is that action speaks louder than words. “Preach all the time but use words whenever it is necessary” (Francis of Assisi). Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.

Secondly, this witnessing must begin from Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem has biblical significance. All the major salvific events took place in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the city of God. It is the meeting place of God. Mount Zion symbolizes God. Witnessing begins from Jerusalem. This means that any act of evangelization must have its source and inspiration in the Word of Jesus. It must be rooted in Christ experience.

And finally, the obligation for evangelization never ceases to exist. Jesus not only fulfilled his mission by offering his life as a ransom for many but also prepared his disciples to take over it. We also have these twofold challenges: Encounter the risen Lord in our lives and share it with our fellow beings, and prepare those who are in our care to continue this mission. Definitely the starting point of this missionary mandate is our family itself. The Ascension is a call to come out from the secret service to public service.
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There are two ways of spreading light; to be a candle, or the mirror that reflects it। (Edith Wharton)

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Mission Accomplished

(FEAST OF THE ASCENSION)

ASCENSION AND ASSUMPTION
This Sunday, we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of our Lord, the entry of Jesus into heaven. According to Scripture, on the fortieth day of His resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples, commissioned them to spread the Good News and then ascended into heaven in their presence. The number forty has biblical significance. For instance, the people of Israel were in the desert for forty days before they entered the Promised Land; Moses prayed for forty days before he received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:18); It was for forty days that Elijah survived on the strength of the meal that the angel gave him (I King 19:8); Jesus spent forty days in the desert before he inaugurated his public mission (Mark 1:12).

Very often people get confused with the feasts of the Assumption and the Ascension. They are not one but two distinct realities. The Assumption is the reception of Mary into heaven. This was an act of God. On the other hand, the Ascension is Jesus’ entry into heaven by his own power. Mary was assumed into heaven by the power of God while Jesus was ascended into heaven by his own power.

THE ASCENSION IS TRANSFER OF MISSION
The Ascension of Jesus signifies two important events in the history of salvation.
· It marks the completion of Jesus’ Mission on earth
· It inaugurates the beginning of the Disciples’ mission
Jesus had a twofold mission to accomplish.
1. To reconcile the world with God.
2. To prepare his disciples for the era of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus completed the reconciling mission by his sacrifice on the cross and he prepared the disciples for the Holy Spirit and for their future mission during the post resurrection period। Thus the Ascension symbolizes the fulfillment of his mission.

The Ascension also denotes the completion of his resurrection. Even though resurrection raised Jesus to a new mode of existence, free from the limitations of time and space, he was yet to enter into the heavenly realm. Remember his statement to Mary Magdela, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17). In its widest sense, the Ascension includes three moments: the final physical departure of Jesus from his disciples; his metahistorical presence and entry into the heavenly domain; and the exaltation of Jesus at the right hand of God. Ascension completed the process of transfiguration.

Secondly and more importantly, the Ascension is an invitation for us to take up the responsibility of the Church as adult disciples. For the apostles, their training period was over and the time had arrived for the beginning of this mission. So the Angel said to the disciples who were shocked and worried by the absence of the physical presence of Jesus: “Why are you standing, looking up to heaven, go and do what Jesus commanded to do. Go and be His witnesses” (Acts 1: 6-11). In other words, instead of waiting for God to do everything for us, you do everything for God. It is a call to Christian maturity. It is a call to represent Jesus in our time. Grow from followers of Jesus to leaders of ministry.

THE ASCENSION IS A CALL TO TRANSCENDENCE
Life is an onward journey, a process of leaving behind the past and aspiring towards something nobler and higher. It is a continuous transformation, a steady process of transcending the limitations imposed by the aspects of time and space. The resurrection liberates us from the clutches of space. The Ascension, however, frees us completely from the limitations of time and space and takes us to the dimension of Godly existence. This process begins with our baptism and continues until we reach the realm of God. The Ascension is a call to transcendence leading to our own assumption।

THE ASCENSION IS A FEAST OF HOPE AND COMFORT
The Ascension is a feast of hope and comfort. First of all, it, confirms Jesus’ promise of eternity. Jesus said: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (John 14: 2-4). Jesus has won this divine heritage for us. This provides us not only great comfort and consolation in facing the uncertainties of our earthly existence, but also encourages us to shape and reshape our earthly pilgrimage in view of our eternal dwelling place। It reassures and reaffirms our faith in the eternal Holiday (heaven).

Secondly, the entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain remains a clear proof of God’s complete acceptance of humanity. Through the incarnation God entered into the human dimension and by Ascension humanity entered into the divine domain. Ascension completed the mission of incarnation.