Gospel: Ascension of the Lord

(Note: In jurisdictions where the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is not a Holy Day of Obligation, the feast is moved to Sunday. The date of the feast falls on the Thursday before the Seventh Sunday of Easter).

Today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter and the Gospel reading for the Ascension of the Lord will be taken from the Gospel of St Luke (click here for today's Mass readings).

Today is our liturgical celebration of the Ascension of the Lord, when Jesus was taken to Heaven on the 40th day of Easter. In Cycle C, our Gospel is taken from the conclusion of the Gospel of St Luke.

There are similarities in the reports of Jesus' Ascension found in the Synoptic Gospels. In each account, Jesus assigns his disciples the task of proclaiming the Gospel to the entire world. But there are also notable distinctions. In the Gospels of St Mark and St Matthew, the disciples are sent by Jesus to baptize as well as to preach. In St Luke's Gospel, however, this commission to baptize is absent. Instead, Jesus directs the disciples to return to Jerusalem to await the fulfillment of his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. Curiously, only St Mark and St Luke actually report Jesus' Ascension into Heaven. St Matthew's Gospel concludes with Jesus' promise to remain with his disciples forever. Only the Gospel of St Mark notes that Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of God. In noting this, St Mark teaches that Jesus' Ascension affirms the glory Jesus received from God after his death and Resurrection.

Those who believe in Jesus will be empowered to do what Jesus himself has done. Already in St Mark's Gospel, during his ministry, Jesus sent his disciples out to preach, to heal, and to drive out unclean spirits. Now, they are sent again to do these things and more. From his place with God in Heaven, Jesus helped his disciples, and he continues to help us as we try to live as his followers.

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