Ascension of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Transfer of the Relics (1087) of Our Holy Father Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari. Holy Prophet Isaiah (8th c. BC). Holy Martyr Christopher (249-51).
Feast of our Lord.
Acts 1:1-12. Luke 24:36-53.
Read Acts 1:1-12
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory for ever!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. Jesus, risen from the dead, ascends into heaven to sit in glory at the right hand of God the Father for all eternity. The Word of God was born as man in Bethlehem of Judea, and now the Word returns to heaven in His glorified human body from Mount Olivet. Before ascending, Jesus assures His apostles that “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
During the forty days before His Ascension, He was “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” to His apostles (Acts 1:3). Even after Jesus rose from the dead, some disciples still asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). Just as the crowds on Palm Sunday expected Jesus to be an earthly ruler to overthrow Roman occupation, even after His Resurrection, some could only view Jesus as an agent for political change. Jesus came for the salvation of the entire world so that all of humanity may gain entry into the heavenly kingdom. Jesus preached love of neighbor and was especially compassionate towards the poor and those who were marginalized in society, but He did not come to be a political hero or to overthrow governments. He came so that we may become members of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let us be reminded that we are all pilgrims on this earth, on a journey to live our lives in love and communion with God so that we may spend eternity in love and communion with Him.