The Ascension of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Read
Acts 1:1-12; Luke 24:36-53
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Invitation
On this solemn feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ we call upon all to respond to the invitation of His Beatitude Sviatoslav and embark together on a pilgrimage towards Pentecost. For the next ten days, we will reflect together with our parish community on the daily Gospel readings for Divine Liturgy from the Gospel of St. John. By following the themes found in John’s Gospel we will be able to respond with greater fervor to the invitation of the Head of our Church, to proclaim the Good News of Christ’s Gospel to all who seek to hear the Word of God.
The Gospel of St. John is for many their favorite book of the New Testament. This Gospel is simple and easily accessible, in spite of its profound content. We sense that the author was a close friend of Jesus: throughout his entire life, John remembered and reflected on all that was said and done by our Savior, he prayed for understanding, examined every detail and sought to help others understand all aspects of Christ’s mission. Thus, it is important that the Gospel of St. John, as one of the most important books of humankind, be read not only by theologians, but by everyone who seeks to understand God’s love for the human race.
Introduction
This unique testimony to Jesus, which complements the first three so-called synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), explains for us the fulfillment of God’s plan: the Eternal Word, who abided in the Father, the Son of God became the Son of Man, and the long-awaited Messiah. In offering Himself to us at the same time He grants us salvation, eternal life. Being the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, as God, He assumed our human nature. This truth about Jesus is the foundation of every truth. To believe in Christ is the only way to the Father and to eternal life.
St. John joyfully proclaims that, in contrast to those temporal things which fill our lives but pass away, Jesus is the “One who IS.” These same words were used when God first revealed Himself to Moses in the Old Testament (Ex 3:14). This exceptionally important phrase used by Christ, “I AM,” is used by St. John some 150 times, seven of which especially point to the fullness of life which we receive from Jesus and through Him: only He IS the True Bread of Life (6:35) which can satisfy inner hunger; only He IS the True Light (9:5) in the darkness of this world; only He IS the Door (10:7) which leads to eternal life; and only He IS the Good Pastor (10:11) Who can guide us because He IS the Way the Truth and the Life (14:6). Finally, only He is the true Vine (15:1), from which we can receive the fullness and power of Life. And even, when we die, He IS the Resurrection and the Life. (11:25)
John testifies that even though after His resurrection Jesus is invisibly present and abides with us, He also sent us a Consoler, Who through- out history guides the Church and directs her towards all truth (3:5–8, 7:37–39, chapters 14–16).
The Church reads this Gospel of John in the period between Pascha and Pentecost in order that we, reflecting on the unique signs of Jesus’ presence in history, might grow in love of and trust in Him, and that we might have Life in His Name (see Jn 20:30–31). We can say that it is John the evangelist who guides us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in the name of our Risen Lord.