Ascension of the Lord Gospel Readings Focus on Matthew and John

The Ascension of the Lord Gospel readings for this weekend are Matthew 28:16-20 and John 17:1–11. The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ” Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come.

Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. ” “I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. The author describes watching the film Risen with friends, which follows the narrative at the end of Matthew and the beginning of Acts.

The film depicts the period after the resurrection but before Pentecost. The disciples experienced joy and comfort while remaining unclear about what the future held and how they would be called to serve.

Luke writes that Christ appeared in Jerusalem for forty days, teaching about the kingdom of God. The disciples still had confusion over its nature, with their final question before the ascension being whether Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel at that time.

Jesus did not answer the question directly. He reminded them that it is not for them to know the times or seasons established by the Father and promised the coming of the Holy Spirit before departing. Two messengers then told the disciples that Jesus will return in the same way he departed.

They instructed the group to return to Jerusalem and wait for Pentecost rather than stand looking at the sky. The disciples returned to Jerusalem and prayed together with others, including Mary the mother of Jesus, while awaiting the Spirit. They trusted in Jesus without knowing what it meant or where it would lead.

The reflection concludes that some questions about the nature of the Messiah and eternal life remain mysteries. It states that human reason cannot unlock all mysteries of God's plans, but faith and trust in the Holy Spirit are sufficient.