HEAVEN, OUR GREATEST HOPE.

May 16, 2021
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph 4:1-13 or 4:1-7, 11-13; Mk 16:15-20.

A Spanish proverb says, “It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive hopeless.” And an Afghan proverb adds, “Your aspirations are in heaven, but your brains are in your feet.”

Life in Heaven is the reason why we live on earth. Our life here on this earth is heavenly-oriented. We are like pilgrims in the present world on a journey to our home. The solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord comes to remind us of this truth. Jesus who died for our sins ascends today in the glory of his Father. A breach, therefore, is open for us in our journey toward heaven. Jesus becomes a ladder planted on earth and leading to heaven.

Besides the aspect of pointing on our first vocation that is heaven, the Ascension raises a second call for every Christians. More than a mere call, this is a mission, the final recommendation and one may say the testament. Jesus, ascending into heaven opened his testament, his last will to his disciples: that is to make for him new disciples.

Today's readings put a special emphasis on that mission. The first reading and the Gospel meet on one point. The Apostles are invited to preach the gospel to all creation. In the extract from the Acts, to the Apostles asking, if now was the time to restore the Kingdom he has long announced, Jesus answered, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established 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, and to the ends of the earth.” Most important for them is not about knowing when will the kingdom come but rather to go and make themselves instruments of that kingdom, to preach the Good News to all nations. After that recommendation, we read that Jesus was lifted from within them to heaven.

Something very relevant at the Ascension is that we find ourselves, more than often, like the disciples looking toward heaven, gazing with awe and expectation to God's glory to come and to miracles. For certain, miracles come all from heaven, but they befall only on those who act on earth, not on the idles who cross their hands and wait. Thus, the remarks of the Angels to the disciples: “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Therefore, go and do as he told you.

The words of Jesus are made clearer in the Gospel when he tells the disciples what consists of their mission: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned." The commissioning of the Apostles is not a closed and exclusive prerogative only for the twelve. This mission is as well opened to you and me, and even more today. We live in societies and a world more in need of the Gospel of Christ. Broken and disfigured by so many crimes, wars, and crises, our world needs restoration, justice reconciliation, and peace. Where will we get all these if not from the Risen Christ and his Good News?

After his Resurrection, every time that he appeared to his followers, the Lord first wished them peace. “Peace be with you,” he said. He knew that this was what they needed the most; peace of heart, peace among themselves, and more especially peace in their relationship with the Jews leaders. It was not about running for vengeance or fearing to approach them, but being at peace with each other.

What our world needs the most today is reconciliation and peace. Many are the broken hearts that seek revenge and reparation. But for the truth, only reconciliation and peace can restore us. The Gospel of Christ for which he commissioned his followers is all about love, justice, reconciliation, compassion, and peace. Here is our mission as Christians in our communities and the world; to preach love, justice, reconciliation, peace, and show compassion to the needy.

As individuals, as well as communities, and also the whole world, will not know unity and true maturity or harmony without this culture of love, justice, reconciliation, and peace. Thus, this other recommendation of St. Paul in the second reading, "strive to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace..." Our calling, St. Paul says, is unity. And only peace can help to reach that unity.

Heaven, where Jesus ascends today is made of peace and unity. If our longing is to be there one day with him, we should start making of our earth the foretaste of heaven, that is plant the seeds of peace on earth and hope to harvest fruits of peace one day in heaven.

Let us conclude by saying that the real Ascension took place when Jesus was lifted up on the Cross. He represented this ladder between Earth and Heaven. Through his sufferings and death, he obtained salvation for us. It is therefore up to us to see in our daily crosses a real means of ascension since they bring us closer to God and accentuate our dependence on him for our salvation. In life, there is no true elevation without tribulations. But the crosses, once accepted and faced with faith and hope, open to glory.