The Easter Season continues, as we celebrate the Sixth Sunday of Easter and the Ascension of the Lord, moved from Thursday to the following Sunday (some dioceses and archdioceses continue to celebrate Ascension on Thursday; in the Diocese of Baton Rouge it is celebrated on the following Sunday). We read in the Gospels the outpouring of Jesus’ love as he prepares the apostles for what is to come and how they will continue the mission by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Preparations (Jn 14:23-29)
Jesus’ final hours were spent preparing his apostles for what was about to take place: his passion, death and resurrection. Take to heart the experience of the apostles gathered in the Upper Room with Jesus during the Last Supper. They have no idea what is about to take place. Their minds and hearts are fixed on Jesus in the moment, as Jesus is focused on preparing them for the events about to take place. They come to the meal, already prepared. Jesus washes their feet, a model for them to follow. Jesus explains one of them will betray him. They are shocked, disturbed and unaware of an enemy in their presence.
Following Judas’ departure, Jesus gives a new commandment, a commandment of total surrender to God and of complete love of others, as he has loved them. He also prepares them for what is to come, stating, “I will be with you only a little while longer” and that he is going to prepare a place for them in the father’s house, ultimately to come back and bring them there, himself. The depth of this discourse is unattainable for them at this point.
The advocate
Jesus will not abandon them. Instead, he knows what fear they will experience and thus promises the one whom we also receive in baptism and confirmation: “The advocate, the Holy Spirit that the father will send in my name – he will teach you everything and remind you of all that told you.” Being open to the love of Jesus, and keeping his word, God will make a dwelling place within, and they will be strengthened in the word of God and empowered to proclaim all that Jesus has taught to all nations. The key is love. The love which is poured out from the side of Jesus upon the cross is the same love we abide in: united to the will of God and offering a sincere gift of self for the good of others. By the grace of God through the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit we are called as living missionary disciples. We will see in a few weeks the effects of the coming of the Holy Spirit when we celebrate Pentecost and how this event impacted the missionary activity of the disciples.
Peace
To solidify the preparations, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” Peace is a fruit of love, as are joy and mercy (Catechism of The Catholic Church #1830). Peace enables us to be dutiful to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. A restless heart is unable to fully act upon the urging of the Holy Spirit. One who resides in the peace of Christ is not only open to but also will abide in faith, hope and love. Hence, Jesus leaves the apostles his peace, and greets the apostles with his peace upon his resurrection as he appears to them for the first time in the upper room. He then breathes on them the Holy Spirit.
The next step: The Ascension (Lk 24:46-53)
Jesus’ resurrection was followed by 40 days of miraculous appearances to the apostles, women and other disciples. We find the number 40 repeatedly in sacred Scripture, from the Old Testament (40 days and nights of rain during the flood; the Israelites with Moses spent 40 years in the desert, Jonah preached in Nineveh for 40 days, etc.) to the New Testament (Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert and after the resurrection Jesus appeared during a period of 40 days). The number 40 indicates a period of transition from one extraordinary moment to the next.
Between the resurrection to the ascension, what does Jesus do? He teaches, accompanies, reassures, fortifies the apostles by retelling his mission that fulfilled the prophecy, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” As he does this Jesus prepares the disciples for the next step, the same step we are called to take as missionary disciples each day: go out to all the world and give reason for your joy in Jesus Christ.
I love the image of this verse, “You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). We too are witnesses of the truth of “these things” of Jesus. We witness by our words and action. Both! And clothed with power, the power of the advocate, the Holy Spirit, through the graces which come forth from the sacraments of baptism and confirmation, we are to take the next step, to go out into the world and tell of the good news: “Let me tell you about my friend, Jesus. Jesus Christ loves you, he suffered, died, and was raised from the dead to destroy death and restore life for you, to save you from your sins and give you eternal life in heaven. He is with you always. Follow me and we will follow him together.”
Dow is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.