"Go into all the world and preach the
Good News to all creation"
(Mark 16:15)
Today's Gospel says nothing about this period of 40
days between the resurrection and ascension.
However, the number 40 is used in the Bible to
indicate fullness, especially when it concerns a period
of time. The flood lasts 40 days and 40 nights; the
march of the Israelites through the wilderness, 40;
Jesus fasting 40 days ... One could cite many other
examples. In this case, Lucas, in the first reading,
means that the disciples needed more than one day to
convince about the resurrection of Jesus, and that the
Risen Jesus was present to them for as long as He
deemed necessary.
The important thing about the Solemnity of the
Ascension is that Jesus called his disciples to carry his
mission. He commanded them to proclaim the Gospel,
preach, teach, baptize and be His witnesses to the ends
of the earth. Today, we are called to continue this
same mission. Like the disciples 2000 years ago, we
are called to proclaim a message of salvation, witness
and build the body of Christ which St. Paul speaks in
the second reading. Paraphrasing the angels, first
reading, there is no time to keep looking at the sky. In
the words of Pope Francis, it's time to be actors in a
Church on a mission.
Today we celebrate the day when Christ ascended to
his glory and returned to his Heavenly Father. Mark
does not describe the scene of the ascension, but he
specifically writes the command to proclaim the good
news or gospel to all creation. So today is the time to
ask ourselves what we can do to continue this mission
in the here and now of our present lives. Pope Francis
said two years ago that "the Feast of the Ascension of
Jesus into heaven begins a new life leading to
proclaim the love of God in every place and
circumstance." For Pope Francis, we celebrate the
Ascension of Jesus when we "contemplate the
mystery of Jesus coming out of our world to enter into
the fullness of the glory of God, bringing with Him
our humanity". The mystery of Jesus ascending to
heaven should remind us that his promise is that He
does not leave us alone in our quest to build his
Church. Jesus assured us that the Holy Spirit will
come to our aid. It is with this confidence that we dare
to preach, evangelize, comfort, heal and reconcile our
least brothers and sisters to be faithful to the mission
given by Jesus.
Fr. Hernán P., SJ