As the Apostles were looking on, Jesus was taken up

Pastor’s Pen
St. Augustine Catholic Church
Sunday, May 21, 2023
The Ascension of the Lord

                                    As the Apostles were looking on, Jesus was taken up (Acts 1:1-11)

Brothers and Sisters,

We are today happily celebrating the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, an event that took place exactly 40 days after his resurrection, hence this feast in the distant past used to be celebrated on the Thursday of the 6th week of Easter, but because such a day used to be a weekday with all its business day distractions, not making it easy for most Christians to observe this great feast of our faith, the Church in its wisdom decided to move it to the next Sunday so that all would observe it otherwise such an event in our Christian life and Liturgy could either be lost or forgotten.

The Scripture tell us that on that day of the Ascension the apostles were gathered together at the mountain of Galilee where Jesus had gathered them and in their midst, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”  And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight.

Consequently, they all went back to Jerusalem in expectation of the descent of the Holy Spirit, which he promised to them when all powers in heaven and on earth would be given them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  This pronouncement has remained part of our faith from the time of the apostles till this day.

Fr. Chris