Category Archives: Ascension

Some of us would have experienced, every now and then, the necessity for us to go away from where we presently are to another place where we are needed. Quite often, our duty and responsibility would require us to move on to another kind of duty or responsibility, or to another location where our services are needed. For example, priests and religious are transferred from one location to another, or from one parish to another, to serve the needs of the faithful in different parts of the diocese or even in different countries. Even teachers too are sometimes transferred from one school to another, depending on where their skills and specialties are needed. For some, it seems difficult and painful to move on, especially when we have become quite comfortable with where we are and with the people we are familiar with, but life is such that sooner or later, we would need to go.

This is why we could understand how the disciples must have felt when Jesus, after His resurrection, had to leave and return to His Father. His first departure when He died was already devastating enough, and now a second departure? It must have been unthinkable and disconcerting for the disciples to lose Jesus, this time for an unknown period of time. But why did Jesus leave? He left so that He could send the Holy Spirit to the disciples, giving them the strength, courage and that extra oomph to become His witnesses to the ends of the earth. This would not have been possible if Jesus had remained with His disciples, since they would still have clung close to him and not have been able to move off on their own.

So what can we learn from this? Many of us try to help others, accompany them, or even offer solutions to their problems, but we sometimes do not know when to stop. We give so much time and effort to help people that we fail to allow God to help them. Some of us even begin to act as if we are God and without us, people would go astray and there would be chaos. If such people whom we are helping become so dependent on us, then there is no need for them to seek God’s help, since we would have become like their ‘saviour.’ So, we must ‘leave’ like Jesus, so that the Holy Spirit could come and touch the lives of these people. This does not mean that we are trying to shirk our responsibilities, but what we are doing is to allow space for God to work in our lives and the lives of others, so that we and they could learn to grow in His love and care, and let Him be our guide.

Today, let us learn to know when and how to let go, and have greater faith and trust that God will take care of things. Even though Jesus has already ascended, even though He has already ‘left’ us, He is still present with us in a very special way: in the Body and Blood of Christ. May we be humble and docile enough to let God take control, so that we can be His witnesses for His glory.

At some point of our lives, we would have experienced people coming and going. Some go away because they have moved to another place, some go away because they have retired and wish to be away from the limelight, some go away because they have been transferred; but whatever the reason may be, sooner or later, a person would need to go away.

When a person goes away, some of us may feel sad that the person has left us. Perhaps we may one day be able to see the person again, perhaps not. But if we consider a moment, a person going away could also be seen as a moment of joy. Why so? When a person has gone away, his or her leaving gives us opportunities and room to grow. The person may have gone away, but if the person has been a great influence to us, a part of him or her would be with us, and that part would only surface and come to life when the person has gone. When the person was with us, we may have taken him or her for granted, it is only when the person has gone, then only do we begin to appreciate and imitate what the person has done. It seems strange, but that is sometimes how things are in life.

Jesus knew this fact of life really well, and He knew that He had to leave so that the disciples and the church could be empowered, grow and mature. The disciples could not be depending on Him physically forever, since that would stifle their willingness to grow and move on. But by leaving, Jesus left His disciples a legacy to continue, and that same legacy goes on even today. What is that legacy? To spread the Good News to all, no matter where we are.

The question is: has Jesus really left us? Has Jesus left us in a lurch or abandoned us? No. He may have left us physically, but He is with us in an even more powerful way, that is through the Holy Spirit. We may have been fearful and uncertain when Jesus left us, but with the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been given the strength and courage to face up to the world and help others to love just as Jesus loves us.

Today, as we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus, let us not feel disheartened or lost. Jesus is with us, guiding us, and helping us to go forth and preach the Good News with vigour. Now is our time, now is our moment, and let us seize every opportunity to glorify God with our words and deeds.

Saying goodbye or farewell is never easy. In some cases, we may get to see the person again only after a long time. In other cases, we may never get to see the person again. Some of us become so attached to the person who is leaving, that it becomes all the more harder to let go. Some may try all sorts of tricks and antics, hoping that the person would change his or her mind and stay. But the reality is, when it is time to leave, it is time to leave.

For forty days, Jesus continued to appear to the disciples to tell them about the kingdom of God. He gave them lots of encouragement and prepared them for His departure. He even assured them: “John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Eventually, the day came where Jesus was “lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight.”

When Jesus left them, the disciples were still in a daze. They had not fully comprehended the reality that Jesus was physically gone. The first reading tells us: “They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’” Once again, the disciples were being reassured that Jesus had left but He would return.

With Jesus gone, the Holy Spirit could come. The pain of separation would soon be replaced with the joy which the Holy Spirit gives us. In today’s Gospel, Jesus told his disciples: “Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” This is the mission which Jesus entrusted to His disciples; this is the same mission He is entrusting to us now. We are now sent to go forth and proclaim the Good News, but we are not left alone. Jesus is with us always, and the Holy Spirit will guide us and help us. Are we ready to fulfil our destiny as bearers of Good News to all? Let us be not afraid, for God is with us.