The Holy Martyr Thaleleus (283-84)
Acts 20:7-12; John 14:10-21.
Read John 14:10-21
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Right after ascension of Jesus into Heaven, His followers returned to Jerusalem with great joy (Lk 24, 52). What was the reason for this joy? How could they possibly be glad after the ultimate departure of their Lord? In my mind, there were at least six reasons for them to be joyful.
Promise of the Holy Spirit: Jesus assured his disciples that He will “not leave them orphaned,”” (Jn. 14, 18), but that He would ask the Father to send them “another Advocate” who “will teach them, and bring all things to their remembrance” (Jn. 14, 26), and who “will be with them forever” (Jn. 14, 16).
Jesus prepares a place for us: In the very same Chapter 14, we find Jesus’s description of His Father’s house with many dwelling places, which He is going to prepare for those who have faith in His Father and in Him (Jn. 14, 2). What could be greater than to know that there is a dwelling place that awaits me in the Heavenly Kingdom?
Jesus guarantees His return: Despite the fact that Jesus’ promise of coming back has not been fulfilled yet, we are all called to live in such a way as He would come today. Constant readiness to meet the Risen Christ will be rewarded by Christ’s pledge to come again in order to “take us to himself, so that where He is, there we may be also” (Jn. 14, 3).
Ascension is the moment of ultimate victory of Good over Evil: Even if at the time of crucifixion it seemed to many that the Messiah’s cause is lost, Jesus overcame Evil by his sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection. He destroys the gates of Hades and leaves the doors of the Heavenly Kingdom wide-open for us. Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father is a moment of greatest triumph of Christ.
No longer disciples, but Apostles: The moment of Ascension has become a solemn graduation of his disciples from the 3-year School of Jesus. They will be no more called disciples, but they themselves would represent Christ by being Messengers (Apostles) of the Good News to all peoples (Mk 16, 15).
Being away Jesus will be even more present: In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus promises that “the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father” (Jn. 14, 12). Jesus’ preaching of the Good News was limited to the territory of Palestine only and only to a limited number of followers. Being in Heaven He transcends all kinds of limitations of space and time. Paradoxically, even after his ascension He in fact has remained much closer to us than He was at the days of His physical presence.