20200521 THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO US IN JESUS’ ASCENSION
21 May, 2020, Thursday, Ascension of the Lord
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast:
First reading
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Acts 1:1-11 ©
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Jesus was lifted up while they looked on
In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’
As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’
Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 46(47):2-3,6-9 ©
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God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
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Alleluia!
All peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the earth.
God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
or
Alleluia!
God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
or
Alleluia!
God is king of all the earth,
sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne.
God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
or
Alleluia!
Second reading
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Ephesians 1:17-23 ©
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God made him sit at his right hand in heaven
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.
Gospel Acclamation
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Mt28:19,20
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Go, make disciples of all the nations.
I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.
Alleluia!
Gospel
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Matthew 28:16-20 ©
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Go and make disciples of all nations
The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’
THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO US IN JESUS’ ASCENSION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 1:1-11; PS 47:2-3,6-9; EPH 1:17-23; MT 28:16-20 ]
Twice in today’s scripture readings, the word “authority” is mentioned. Jesus told the disciples, “It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” In the gospel, the Lord said to the apostles, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you.”
Even if the other text did not mention the word, right through all the readings, there is a reference to power which is a reference to authority. In the second reading of St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he said, “What rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come.”
Accordingly, during this Feast of the Ascension, we can see how the Church distinguishes this aspect of Christ’s glorification from that of the Resurrection. In the resurrection, Jesus’ body was transformed and glorified. It had power to go beyond space and time. The resurrected body of our Lord could appear and vanish. He could come even when doors were shut. His body was not always recognizable. With the Ascension, Jesus is given authority. This is what we mean in the Creed when we say, “He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” In other words, He shares in the authority and power of God. Hence, we also say in the Creed, “from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.” He will judge in the name of His Father.
Beyond the power to judge, what authority does Jesus have by His ascension? With the glorification of Jesus, His risen Body remains a human body but transformed and transfigured. Yet, it remains truly a human body although not earthly body. It is a glorious body. With His risen body in heaven, that is, with His Father, Jesus is now the perfect mediator between heaven and earth, God and us, since in Him, Jesus is man and God. This is why Jesus is also considered our perfect High Priest in the letter to the Hebrews. “He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently, he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb 7:24f) In a nutshell, Jesus has the authority of a mediator and an intercessor.
Secondly, the authority that Jesus received is His authority over all creation. In the gospel, Jesus said to His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” St Paul speaks of this authority of our Lord over everything on this earth because Jesus is now proclaimed Lord and God. “This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.” In this way, the kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish is realized when heaven and earth submit to the rule of God’s power and grace.
Thirdly, the authority given to Jesus is the power to send us the Holy Spirit. Jesus made it clear to the disciples before He departed from this world. He said to them, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.” (Jn 16:7f) The Holy Spirit will also be our counsellor, the Spirit of truth (cf Jn 14:16f) and “he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (Jn 14:26) For this reason, the Lord told His disciples, “not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.'” And “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses.”
The Holy Spirit is power. He gives us the power of love and the power to love. It is the love of God poured into our hearts. (cf Rom 5:5) When we have love, we have the power to witness. To be involved in the mission of establishing the Kingdom of God is not a political endeavor or some earthly ambition. Rather it is to spread the love of God which we have received. Witnessing to the Lord, therefore, is never a chore, a duty, a reluctant obligation but the overflowing of God’s love for us in the heart. With the bestowal of the Spirit, we also receive the gifts of the Spirit to evangelize. St Paul said, “Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipment of the saints, for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Eph 4:8, 10-13) When we receive the Holy Spirit, we have the power to witness.
It is with this three-fold authority of Jesus which we share by virtue of our baptism, that we are to go forth, “make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” With the authority of being mediators of Christ just as Christ was the mediator of the Father, we are called to make Christ present in us in our body and in our being. Because of Christ’s ascension and glorification, we are now members of His mystical body, with Christ as the Head and we are His members. This is what we mean when we say, by virtue of our baptism, we share in Christ’s priestly power. So in all that we do, we must now remember that we represent Christ in our words and actions. We all have become mediators as well, not to God but to our Lord. By our priestly intercession and mediation, we bring people into connection with Christ and through Christ to the Father.
Secondly, with the authority over creation shared with Christ, as King by virtue of our baptism, we are to rule over creation by applying the gospel values of justice, charity and compassion in our dealings with the things of this world. We will not succumb to the temptation of the Evil One but with the authority of Christ subject all things under Him. Indeed, Christ must be the basis for all that we do and how we live our lives and use the things of this earth, for the greater glory of God.
Finally, with the authority given to us by the Spirit of love, we are to make the love of Christ known and encountered by our lives of humble service and love. We must let the Spirit of Christ’s love fill us so that we can use all the gifts that we have received for the building of God’s kingdom, for His greater glory and for the good of humanity. Indeed, with the spirit of wisdom and perception, God will “enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope His call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers.”
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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