THURSDAY 21ST MAY 2020
FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST
Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:17-23,
Matthew 28:16-20
It is already 40 days since the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. According to St Luke the
writer of the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus continued to
appear to his Apostles and others and remained on earth for 40 days after his
resurrection before he ascended into heaven. Before his ascension to heaven, he
had series of discussions with his Apostles. Just like a father who is about to
travel calls his children together and advise them to behave well while he is
away, Jesus in the gospel reading of today before ascending to his father,
commanded his Apostles and all of us to embark on a mission of making him known
to others by taking the gospel to them. Jesus also knew that it would not be
easy for the Apostles, this is why he told them to remain in Jerusalem until
they have received the Holy Spirit who he will send from the father before
starting the mission.
It is therefore a thing of joy
and hope for all of us today, to know that Jesus who took human flesh and lived
among us has glorified our human nature in heaven. He has assured us that he
has gone to prepare a place for us. We have to follow his steps if we want to
also one day ascend to the father with our glorified bodies. He is the way to
the father, thus he can lead us there.
We therefore have to like the
Apostles, prepare ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit. Ten days from now we
shall be celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and we we
also receive the Holy Spirit too if we prepare adequately for his coming. We
shall begin the novena to the Holy Spirit tomorrow and end on the vigil of the
Pentecost. We all need the Spirit of God to scale through the hurdles of this
life. This is the prayer of St Paul in the second reading of today. Life is futile
without the Spirit of God in us. God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes
up with trumpet blast. The trumpet will sound again when he comes to take us
back to the father. How are we preparing for that day? God help us. Amen.
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP
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