TOOK HIS SEAT AT
THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD
THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD
On the Ascension, Jesus takes His rightful place beside His Father in
heaven. Baptism gives us the right to heaven and we who try to live up to our
Baptismal promises will join Jesus there!
During this Seventh
Week of Easter the Church celebrates the Ascension of Our Lord. In the Gospel
of Mark, Jesus again appeared to the eleven disciples as they sat at table. He
helped them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed
those who saw Him after He had risen. Jesus said to them, "Go into the
whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:15).
For forty days
after His Resurrection, Jesus appeared numerous times to His disciples to
assure them that He had indeed risen and to prepare them for the task of
carrying on the work He had begun during His earthly ministry. Jesus' departure
and Ascension into heaven were both an end and a beginning for His disciples.
While it was the end of Jesus' physical presence with His beloved disciples and
those who believed in Him, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence with them
and all people in a new way.
Jesus promised that
He would be with them always to the end of time. He assured them of His power;
a power that overcomes sin and death as well as a power of peace, love,
kindness, and joy. Now as the Glorified and Risen Lord and Savior, preparing to
ascend into heaven where He would be seated at the right hand of the Father,
Jesus promised to give them the Power of the Holy Spirit. We see this fulfilled
ten days later on the Feast of Pentecost. When the Lord Jesus physically
departed from the Apostles they were not left alone or powerless. Jesus assured
them of His presence and the Power of the Holy Spirit to do great works of love
and mercy for God.
Jesus' last words
to the Apostles point to His saving mission and to their mission to be
witnesses of His saving death and glorious Resurrection and to proclaim the
Good News of salvation to the entire world. Their task is to make this
proclamation not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations. God's
love and gift of salvation is not just for a few, or for a nation, but it is
for the whole world; for all who will accept it. The Gospel is the Power of God
at work in our lives; the Power to forgive sins, to heal, to deliver from sin
and oppression, and to restore us to newness of life.
Today, we also are
called to this great work of salvation. Last Sunday we saw that the
Commandments are a proof of God's love for us. This weekend we consider another
proof of God's love for us, the gift of Baptism. On the Ascension, Jesus takes
His rightful place beside His Father in heaven. Baptism gives us the right to
heaven and we who try to live up to our Baptismal promises will join Jesus
there!
This Sacrament
gives many other blessings, too. Baptism gives us a share in God's life. Our
parents gave us natural life but God gives us supernatural life and a share in
His Own divine life. All by His grace!!! Is there any greater proof of love for
us? Baptism also gives us certain spiritual powers-the power to believe, the
power to hope, the power to love. We call these powers the virtues of
"faith, hope, and charity." Baptism makes each of us a disciple allowing
us to share our spiritual gifts with others.
This is the great
Commission that the Risen Jesus gives to the whole Church. All believers have
been given a share in this task, to be heralds of the Good News and ambassadors
for Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. May we witness a new Pentecost as
the Lord pours out His loving Spirit upon His people to renew and strengthen
the Body of Christ and to equip us for effective ministry and mission in the
world.
Take the challenge
of being a disciple and witness of this joy to others!