HOMILY OF ASCENSION THURSDAY, YEAR A
Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:17-23, Matthew 28:16-20
THEME: THE BEST OF PARTING GIFTS: CONTEMPLATING THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST
Man seeks a system that doesn’t last. God seeks to establish a kingdom that stands for ever. The quest for continuity is a virtue of those who look far into the future. And the future is bright for those who fix their gaze on God.
After the resurrection, the disciples of Jesus asked him,
“Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He replied,
“It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.”
We need to understand that history is a continuum. Our role to keep posterity is the ability to use our present to build a healthy bridge between the past and the future. Our history has a purpose. As Christians, we should know that we are on a journey.
Without the resurrection, Christianity would be meaningless. In order to stabilize the faith of his church, the Lord Jesus Christ stayed back after he rose from the dead. And he did not leave until he made the great promise of sending the spirit of power which will enable them to bear effective witness to the gospel. The Holy Spirit, the parting gift of Jesus, creates a perfect and continuous bond between him and the church.
The best parting gift is not a wrapped box filled with golden rings or a box of chocolate. It is an understanding and the ability to patiently wait for the return of the beloved without losing our fidelity while he or she is away.
Let us always hunger for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let us long to journey with him.
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