Thriving in Christ

The celebration of Easter continues with the Sixth Sunday of Easter followed by the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The Sunday Mass readings offer historical reminders of the actions of the early church as model of apostolic mission. We hear how our resurrected Lord appeared for 40 days to the apostles, teaching and reminding them his mission now continues through their mission by his command to teach, proclaim and love; a mission to thrive in Christ for the sake of building the kingdom.

Calling all nations (Acts 10:25-48)

Through a dream God reveals to Peter that the apostolic mission is not only for the Jews but also for Gentiles, for all nations. Simultaneously, as Cornelius, a Roman centurion and Gentile, prayed during the 3 p.m. hour there appeared standing before him a man in dazzling robes acknowledging that his prayer was heard. Cornelius responded to the instructions of this encounter and sent his representatives to find Peter and invite him to his home. Summoned, Peter went to the house of Cornelius and while proclaiming, testifying and witnessing salvation in Jesus, the Holy Spirit “fell upon” (Acts 10:44) all present in the house, Gentiles who were listening. They immediately glorified God. Without hesitation all were baptized in the name of Jesus. 

Conversion by the proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ is real. Those who hear the word of God come to believe. The seeds of witness cultivate the mind and heart to receive and be receptive to the Holy Spirit. It is by this encounter with the risen Christ, the living word, that God plants love, devotion, awe and truth through the power of the Holy Spirit in those who have come to hear and believe. For without doubt we know Jesus has come for all. Who do I know is being called by God? How am I living the mission of Christ to serve, teach and proclaim to all people?

“Beloved St. Joseph, patron of the universal church, strengthen our response to our call to holiness so that we will confidently go 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 Jesus commanded.”

God is love (1 Jn 4:7-10, 15:9-15)

Hence, as we come to know Jesus we come to know God. It is because of God’s love that we are, that we exist, that we have life. For love is an act of the will for the good of the other. Dr. Scott Hahn writes, “It was God’s love for us that caused him to send his own son into the world that he might bring us eternal life and the life of God in us is displayed in how we love each other. In return, the disciples were required to show their own love by imitating the unifying love of the son and the father. Such a love had to be more than mere words; it had to be manifested by deeds, including keeping the commandments of Jesus. Christians should also love one another with the same love that Christ showed to them. In loving Christ, we are loved by God, and God and Christ will abide in us (Scott Hahn, ed.,  Catholic Bible Dictionary). Am I aware of the depths of God’s love for me? How am I a beacon of God’s love to others? What sacrifices have I made because of my love for God and for others?

The First Glorious Mystery: The Ascension (Acts 1:1-11, Mk 16:15-20)

After Jesus’ resurrection he appeared on earth to the apostles and other disciples for 40 days. These eyewitness accounts have been part of our Easter season liturgies during the past six Sundays. During this time Jesus reiterated what he had taught. With post-resurrection encounters, the apostles continued to grow in understanding of life in Christ. Jesus, knowing his time on earth would soon end, promised to send the paraclete, the advocate, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who moves forward the mission that is now placed securely in the hands of early church, namely the apostles, with St. Peter as the leader.

The glorious Ascension of Our Lord is told in the Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark and St. Luke. It is by far my personal favorite New Testament moment in the life of Christ in tangent with the announcement to the shepherds of the birth of Jesus. As Jesus entered by the incarnation is as glorious is how he ascended. 

In St. Mark’s account Jesus reiterates the message of the kingdom of God and gives the great commission to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved …” In St. Matthew’s account we read, “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” (Mt 28:19-20). After giving this final command, Jesus ascended into heaven and “took his seat at the right hand of God” (Mk 16:19). The apostles witnessed this entire moment. One cannot even imagine the experience, yet we can certainly sit and pray with this passage, asking the Lord for wisdom.

Pertaining to the Ascension of our Lord, St. John Paul II stated “For all eternity Christ takes his place as the firstborn among many brethren: our nature is with God in Christ. And as man, the Lord Jesus lives forever to intercede for us with the father. At the same time, from his throne of glory, Jesus sends out to the whole church a message of hope and a call to holiness. Because of Christ’s merits, because of his intercession with the father, we are able to attain justice and holiness of life in him. The church may indeed experience difficulties, the Gospel may suffer setbacks, but because Jesus is at the right-hand of the father the church will never know defeat. Christ’s victory is ours” (Homily of St. John Paul II, May 24, 1979, vatican.va). 

Am I responding to God’s call to holiness? Am I finding the time to pray and build my relationship with God: to listen, to meditate, to contemplate all that God is asking of me as a missionary disciple? Do I “get out” each day with the intention of seeking the Lord in all that I do for the sake of the kingdom? Am I aware of the abundant grace which pours forth from the sacraments, established by Jesus for us to have life in him, as “they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1210)? Am I thriving in a life in Christ?

Year of St. Joseph

In this year of St. Joseph, we pray, “Beloved St. Joseph, patron of the universal church, strengthen our response to our call to holiness so that we will confidently go 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 Jesus commanded.” Amen. JMJ

Dow is the director of the Office of Evangelizaton and Catechesis.