Seventh Sunday of Easter
“and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day”
Summary
Today we celebrate the Ascension. Over the last few weeks our readings have focused on where God is to be found. Just as the Nativity shows God descending to dwell with us, so the Ascension shows us ascends to dwell with God. Both revealing that humanity and divinity are to be found together, God is not far from us but as close to us are the beat of our hearts. The question then is not, where is God? but where are we? In both Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:1-11 Jesus sends the disciples back into the world, not just to their people, but to all peoples. We are now the human being who can carry the transforming power of God with us. Why then do we so often persist in “stand looking up to heaven” when Jesus is sending us to witness to whole world?
GOSPEL
Luke 24.44-53
Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
