Gospel Mt 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Homily
Times have certainly changed over the years but I still remember the days when on arriving at 21 years old a young man was given the keys of the house. This symbolized the end of a journey from infancy to maturity, a journey punctuated by various rites of passage. Those of us of my age can still remember moving from short pants to long pants, to the first party etc. The giving of the keys was then the end of one journey and the beginning of another. The age of childhood was over, and the age of maturity beginning, an age at which the young man would be required to contribute to the upkeep of the home and in general to act in a mature and responsible manner. I am certain that girls had their own rites of passage leading to the same conclusion, the age of maturity when they would be required to take care of the home. The handing over of the keys also symbolized our parents’ confidence in our ability to act responsibly. It was the age at which the young man was supposed to manage his own affairs, even though we all knew that parents were in the background to help if the need arrived.
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The Gospel reading for this Feast of the Ascension is thus a feast which gives encouragement to the disciples as they take up the responsibility of continuing Jesus’ work of proclaiming the Gospel of the good news of the Kingdom. The work of proclaiming the Kingdom continues to this day. We are the present day disciples and like the disciples of the first century, we can count on Jesus’ continuing presence with us as we go about the work of proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. How else can we explain the success of Mother Teresa, or of Servol and other such organizations.
Today we thank God for people of faith who continue the work of Jesus in our world. We thank God for missionaries in dangerous situations who make the gospel of the Kingdom known and loved. We thank God for Christians who by the example of selfless giving drive out of others the demons of selfishness and egoism. As we thank God for these examples we think of ourselves. Are we people of faith so that we may continue Jesus’ mission in our world today? Are we ready to take up the responsibility of continuing Jesus’ work today? If we are, we can be certain that Jesus will not abandon us, and he will confirm the word which we preach with wondrous signs.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, we thank you for the confidence which you placed in the disciples of the first century as YOU sent them out to continue the work of your Son Jesus in the world. We recognize that we, laity, priests and religious are the successors of your disciples and that YOU have been chosen us to continue the work of your Son Jesus in the world of today. Be with us as we strive to be faithful, confirm the Word which we proclaim with signs as YOU did long ago. When we are discouraged give us hope and remind us that YOU continue to be with us even as we struggle with opposition and lack of understanding and help us to continue to proclaim the Gospel in every nook and cranny of the world. We ask this in the name of Mary our Mother and your Son Jesus. Amen
