Ascension of the Lord - Fr. Leo
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, he appeared to his disciples to affirm his resurrection, and to instruct them about their mission to share their faith. All this in preparation for the gift of the Spirit that would inspire them and direct them in the way of God’s will.
What strikes me in our readings today is how little the disciples faith and understanding was, of what Jesus was saying. For example, on one of Jesus appearances to the disciples, they asked Jesus when he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel? The question reveals an us-them tribal mentality. They wanted their country, their party, to come into power. Little did they grasp that Jesus’ love was meant for all and would dissolve any us-them in the unity of love given from the Father, through the Son, in the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In Matthew’s Gospel the disciples worshiped the Lord on the mountain to which he summoned them, but they doubted. There was a reservation in the disciples faith that would not be resolved until the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost.
What is instructive in these examples is the growth in faith of the disciples themselves and the importance of openness to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. There can be no real faith without the Holy Spirit. There can be no ecstatic experience of God’s love without the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that makes all peoples one in Christ. No us-them, only a we of all creation sharing in the life of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
As we grow in faith, we can be patient with ourselves and others. We are all works in progress! The gentle loving Spirit will help us overcome our shortcomings and help us embrace those of others in love. This Spirit of truth will always choose mercy over justice as holiness grows in our members. Let us pray this week for the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that when we gather next week to celebrate Pentecost, our hearts may be aflame with the fire of God’s love. A love that over flows in ecstatic living for God and others. This is our calling, and the foundation of God’s kingdom which is the fullness of our peace and joy! Praise be God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!