Today the church in the United States celebrates the Feast of the Ascension. This feast commemorates when, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. The Ascension is an important Christian feast attesting and celebrating the reality of the God-Man Jesus Christ's returning to the Father. Although we may not think enough about the Ascension, it is a crucial part of Christ's mission and message because it captures the moment in which His victory will be enshrined in heaven for ever. And since Jesus ascends into heaven as the living sacrifice that will continue to be the bridge between God and humanity until the end of time.
Therefore, the Ascension is so essential that it leaves us with two important messages. First, Jesus reminds His Apostles that He had come to earth in order to preach salvation, and then to make it into a reality by His suffering, death, and resurrection in order to obtain the salvation for humanity from sin and ignorance.
Second, Jesus gives His followers a job. He calls upon them to be witness of “these things”.
The Italian composer Giacomo Puccini wrote
La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and
Tosca. It was during his battle with terminal cancer in 1922 that he began to write
Turandot, which many now consider his best work. He worked on the score day and night, despite his friends' advice to rest, and to save his energy. When his sickness worsened, Puccini said to his disciples, 'If I don't finish
Turandot, I want you to finish it.' He died in 1924, leaving the work unfinished. His disciples gathered all that was written of
Turandot, studied it in great detail, and then proceeded to write the remainder of the opera. The world premier was performed in La Scala Opera House in Milan in 1926, and Toscanini, Puccini’s favorite student, conducted it. The opera went beautifully, until Toscanini came to the end of the part written by Puccini. He stopped the music, put down the baton, turned to the audience, and announced, 'Thus far the master wrote, but he died.' There was a long pause; no one moved. Then Toscanini picked up the baton, turned to the audience and, with tears in his eyes, announced, 'But his disciples finished his work.' The opera closed to thunderous applause, and to a permanent place in the annals of great works.
Jesus empowered His disciples with the Holy Spirit, to go to "all the nations" as Christ's witnesses. Today, the work– the proclamation of the Gospel- is our call now. The entire mission of the Son of God is entrusted to us as the bearers of the Good News. A mission that will always be accompanied by the Divine presence of the Holy Spirit as the source of heavenly power-
"I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” The apostles awaited the gift of the Spirit who empowered them, as the Church, to do just that– to continue the work of the Master. With the Ascension begins another period of Salvation History– the time of the Church. “Just as the Father sent me, so do I send you.” (John 20:21)
In the time between the Ascension and the Second Coming, then, our task is to recognize Christ all around us and that our service is indeed a key part of our Gospel mission. Today's Feast, then, should not leave any impression that Jesus is gone; it should in fact remind us that we are to be Christ's disciples and with the power given to us to continue the work of Jesus and be His presence in the world.
This weekend we have the opportunity, once again, to bear witness as Jesus’ disciples to support the efforts of the ministry of Fr. Pervaiz and the local church in the Diocese of Faisalabad in Pakistan. Please listen attentively to his message as he shares the daily struggles of uncertainties living among Muslims and yet the profound witness of the faith in Jesus Christ lived out by the faithful in Pakistan. Please find ways to support, either by prayers or financially, the projects Fr. Pervaiz is responsible to complete and maintain.
I wish you a blessed week. Let us find strength and meaning in the Spirit who dwells in us who are baptized, that with enthusiasm, commitment, and love- and without questions, fear, or hesitation– take up and joyfully proclaim Jesus’ saving mission.