Jesus ascends into Heaven and the Apostles are eyewitnesses. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Virtue of Hope so he can always trust in the Divine Mercy of the Ascended Christ and by building the Virtue of Prudence so he can frequently repent from his sins in the glorious Sacrament of Penance.
Liturgy
Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Cycle C – Lk 24:46-53
Commentary
Following His miraculous Resurrection, Jesus mysteriously appears to the disciples on Easter Sunday evening in the Upper Room. Jesus offers the “startled and frightened” Apostles His peace and reassures them by showing His wounds and eating a piece of broiled fish. After giving them time to adjust to His miraculous resurrected presence, Jesus turns to catechesis, revealing that Scripture is a source of evidence, moral standards, and the Christian mission.
As on the road to Emmaus, Jesus uses Scripture to reveal they are witnessing the fulfillment of amazingly accurate ancient prophecies about the Messiah which are centuries old (Ps 31, 69, 118; Is 50:6, 53, etc.). During His own life, Jesus accurately revealed His Crucifixion and Resurrection (Lk 9:22, 18:33, 24:6-7). Jesus moves to future prophecy by revealing they will preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins to Jerusalem and all the nations of the world, a highly unlikely promise that is magnificently fulfilled with the world-wide Holy Catholic Church. Reinforcing the reality of the Trinity, the Son teaches the promises of God the Father will be fulfilled by the sending of power from on high from God the Father to the Apostles, a promise that is miraculously fulfilled when the Holy Spirit descends on the Apostles and thousands of others on Pentecost.
After spending 40 days with His disciples after the Resurrection, preparing them for their mission to evangelize the world after His departure, Jesus leads them out of Jerusalem to the nearby small town of Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Raising His hands as Divine Priest, Jesus gives the Apostles a final blessing, and miraculously, He was “lifted up and a cloud took Him out of their sight” into Heaven (Acts 1:9-11). The Apostles, paid Him homage, prostrating themselves on the ground with awe and joy; they then courageously returned to the Temple in Jerusalem praising God.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Reflect with reverence and fear upon the absolute Authority and unfathomable Divine Power of Jesus as He commands every Catholic man to carry out the sacred duty to live a life of holiness, and to evangelize every single person; be encouraged by His promise to always be with His Catholic men to help them.
Hope in the Divine Mercy of the Ascended Christ
Realize: While Jesus’ supernatural Ascension into the clouds astounds, defying all known human knowledge of the physical universe, even more astounding is the truth that the Ascended Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, reigns as Eternal King with absolute Dominion and Power over all Creation, and will judge every single man, whether he knows it yet, or not.
Believe: Reflect upon Christ’s Ascension (CCC 659-667).
Pray: Almighty Father, help me build the Virtue of Hope so I always am blessed to completely trust in the Divine Mercy of Your Ascended Son and hope that He will save me and receive me into the eternal peace and joy of Heaven.
Prudently repent from your sins in the Sacrament of Penance
Realize: Jesus’ offers men who repent the unfathomable mercy of the forgiveness of their sins; He has given this power to His Holy Catholic Church in the blessed Sacrament of Penance.
Believe: Reflect upon Christ’s Catholic Church (CCC 830-838) and The Power of the Keys (CCC 981-983).
Pray: Jesus, Divine King and Priest, help me grow the Virtue of Prudence so I use my reason to thoroughly examine my conscience, repent from my sins, and have the good sense to flee to the confessional and be forgiven by You in the blessed Sacrament of Penance.