A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (Lk 24: 46 – 53)
+ Jesus said to his disciples:
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them, he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Unlike the disciples two thousand years ago, we do not have to wait for the “Promise of the Father”. In fact, for the vast majority of us, we received it soon after our birth and close to our birth place. Moreover, rather than in a room closed to the outside world, we received it openly and in front of a great number of witnesses! Nonetheless, many of us go about life unaware of this gift or unwilling to exercise it!
Most of us listen to this passage or any other passage from the Bible and think “Oh, how wonderful for those individuals”. We consider the accounts in the Bible as if these extraordinary acts could only happen once, only a long time ago, and only to extraordinary people. The truth is that the same thing happens all the time, even now, to every Christian. We all have been clothed with and expected to use that “Power from on High” in the same way the first disciples did.
We all receive the “Promise of the Father” during the Sacraments of Initiation. That is, at Baptism, when we received the Holy Spirit for the first time, and at Confirmation, when we made its fulness ours on our own accord. We all have been clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit. We all are capable of doing great and extraordinary acts, similar to some of those described in the Bible. We just need to be fully aware and convinced that, through the Father in Heaven, we are capable of being vessels through which miracles are still happening even now. We must believe that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary acts.
The Apostles and other disciples were able to see Jesus ascend into heaven two thousand years ago. Perhaps, if we believe that we are also capable of doing great thing because of “The Promise of God”, if we use the power we have been clothed with to preach repentance of sins in God’s name to anyone who would listen to us, then perhaps we too will joyfully see Jesus comedown from Heaven on the last day to take us to the new Jerusalem where we may eternally praise God along with the Apostle and all the other saints.
Action of the Day
Take a closer look at you schedule today and set aside some time for reflection. During this time, try to imagine yourself among the disciples who heard Jesus said he will send the “Promise of the Father” as He was ascending into heaven. Imagine the joy you and the others felt seeing Jesus returning to the Father and expecting to receive power from on high!
Now, think of the fact that you have also received the exact same promise! Think of the awesome reality that you have the very same power from on high to do all the extraordinary things you heard and read in the Bible. Realize that the only thing stopping you is your unbelief.
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