ASCENSION OF THE LORD 25

ASCENSION OF THE LORD 01JUNE 2025 Indicative: We celebrate today Jesus’ ascension to heaven. Ascension is not just the end of Jesus’ earthly presence. It is not just getting back his glory in heaven. The purpose is not to demonstrate to the disciples about his greatness. It is also not to prove to all that he is glorious. Rather ascension is the point of completion and fulfillment of Jesus’ mission on earth as a human person. 1. Ascension marks the end of the post- resurrection preparation of the disciples for their life and mission. It is a special time to prepare to live and do without Jesus' physical presence. Yes, the duration between his resurrection and ascension is not a period of suspension. Rather it is a time of intense preparation of the disciples. 2. The risen Lord appears to them, continues to teach them, illumine them, guide them, strengthen, and confirm them in their faith and mission. It was a preparation to meet the future in his physical absence. How the future will be without Jesus? How they have to live and do their mission? These are crucial and disturbing questions. 3. Here we highlight three essential aspects of ascension. They are namely, confirmation, assurance and assignment. Primarily ascension is a confirmation. Ascension confirms our faith that our Lord is Lord of heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father He is able to sympathize with us. He intercedes for us, and sustains us from heaven. 4. It Confirms that heaven is the original abode of Jesus. It gives the Confirmation that Jesus is in eternal communion with the Father and the Spirit. Confirmation that Jesus resumes his original abode, his original glory, his original identity, his original communion. He is not gaining anything new, anything that is not his. He is regaining what is his own. 5. In fact ascension is truly restoration. Jesus attests: “As I came from the Father and have come into the world, so I am leaving the world and going to the Father” (Jn 16. 28). God the Father restores to Jesus his original glory. Jesus accomplishes Father’s will and the mission entrusted to him. The Father is pleased with his fidelity, and so as sign of this holy pleasure and as an evidence of this victory over evil, God raises Jesus, and that is resurrection. 6. Thus resurrection is the authentic testimony that Jesus’ incarnation, life, passion and death are not futile, but are purposive and infinitely efficacious and meritorious. Thereafter ascension is a complete confirmation of this victory and glory. Jesus goes back to where he comes from. A vital chapter of his redemptive mission is over. 7. Then ascension is Assurance: assurance that we will not be left alone as he goes away from the earth. Assurance that he will never abandon us but will accompany us through the Holy Spirit. Assurance that our help will not be less with Jesus’ going away, but in fact will be much more. In heaven and from heaven, he is totally powerful, and he is not restricted and constrained by any human limitations and vicissitudes. 8. Therefore we should rejoice that Jesus ascended to heaven, rather than lament that he has left us, going away from earth. This is what Jesus makes clear to the disciples also: “it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you” (Jn 16. 7). So an assurance that Jesus’ presence, guidance and power will never cease. The Holy Spirit will continue the same presence, guidance and power of Jesus. 9. It is also an Assurance that our destiny and destination is also heaven, as Jesus assures the disciples in his farewell discourse, “you shall be with me where I am” (Jn 14. 3). Assurance that they and we will share the same glory, as Jesus prays in his farewell prayer: “Father, since you have given them to me, I want them to be with me where I am and see the Glory you gave me” (Jn 17. 24). 10. Further, there is also a summon, an assignment: It is a call to trust in a new kind of presence and power of God, and to live the spiritual presence and power, beyond the physical. We should go beyond our too much clinging to what is physical, direct, external and visible. We must learn to walk in a higher spiritual realm. 11. Thereby Ascension carries along an assignment to commit ourselves to attain the same destiny of ascension, i.e. residing in the same Glory. It is a commitment to a daily ascension. This consists in an incessant restoration, regaining our original identity and dignity. Obtaining the heavenly glory is not acquiring something new which is not there. It is not a novel creation or a grand invention or acquisition. Rather it is a discovery, a recapturing, a regain of what is already there. Imperative: Ascension is a commitment to become what we already are: to daily “ascend” to our real higher self, our true identity of being God’s own images, the children of God, disciples and friends of Christ, abodes of the Holy Spirit and the heirs of heaven.

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 2025

6th EASTER SUNDAY: 25 May 2025, Acts 15. 1-2, 22-29; Rev 21. 10-14, 22-23; John 14. 23- 29 Indicative: Turn to God in times of trouble and fear. Trust in Him wholeheartedly. And He will grant you peace 1. We live in a world where day after day We experience troubles and fears. There is no peace. Instead there is a lot of anxiety. Many suffer from anxiety syndrome and the life of many is marked by tension. 2. It is in such a context, the words of Jesus cool and soothe us. "Let not your hearts be troubled; let them not be afraid". Today, the first invitation for us is not to be troubled and afraid. This does not mean that we will not have any troubles and fears. 3. Our faith in God is no seal or guarantee against difficulties and suffering. The Lord does not wave off automatically and magically all the troubles. Rather, he assures us that we will remain in peace even amidst all the negativities. 4. Peace is the antidote in our troubles and trials. Jesus says, "My peace i give to you, and not the kind of peace that the world gives". Now what is this different peace of the Lord? Where is the difference? 5. First of all, the peace of the world is temporary and passing. It is short- lived. But the peace of the Lord is stable and lasting. It may not give instant happiness and satisfaction. It may leave at times a bitter taste in the mouth. The Lord"s peace is steady and consistent. It is not easily shaken or wavering. 6. The peace of the Lord is deep and interior. Unlike the worldly peace, the Lord's peace is not easily conditioned by external factors, like food, things, money, power, position, reputation, recognition, profitability. Even without these, one can be peaceful. It is deep-seared and interiorly built. 7. The peace of the Lord is not absence of afflictions and adversities. Often the world equates peace with problemless external condition. Just as the external conditions change, so also the peace condition changes according to the variable factors. The Lord's peace is an inner power, a mental stamina that subsists even amidst all upsetting factors. 8. The peace of the Lord is ever calm, composed, and serene. It is never violent or aggressive. Like the world's peace, it does not create and indulge in peaceless situations to establish peace. The peace of the world is like the peace on the battle world after killing numberless enemies. It is the joy of profit having deceived many. It is the joy of winning over others having put down many. It is the joy of feeling big having belittled many. 8. The peace of Lord is God-centred and other- oriented. The more one seeks to surrender oneself to God, the more one will be in peace. The more one is faithful to God, the more one will enjoy peace. Further, the Lord's peace is ever altruistic. Those who experience the peace of Lord will always commit themselves to the good of others. Lack of charity is lack of peace. This is what we see in the first reading. The apostles in wisdom gave importance to the essentials of faith, fidelity to God and moral integrity. They were clear not to lay unnecessary burdens on their fellow believers. Imperative: What is the kind of peace that we search and strive for? Is it the peace of the Lord that is deep and positive and constructive? Or is it the peace of the world that is self- centred and shallow?

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 2025

5TH EASTER SUNDAY, ACTS 14. 21-27; REV 21. 1-5; JOHN 13.31- 35 Indicative: Jesus came to change our old life of sin, darkness, and death into a new life of grace, light, and life 1. Today’s impressive and recurrent theme is Newness. All three readings revolve around various aspects of newness. In the second reading from Revelation, God assures, “Behold I am making all things new”. In the gospel of John, Jesus gives a new commandment. And in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we find some concrete signs of new life in Christ. 2. Some of the features of the new life that God promises in Revelation are: A new abode, a new dwelling place, and new situations, symbolized by “a new heaven and a new earth”, and “the dwelling place of God is with them”. It is a new life of holiness and heavenliness, symbolized by a “new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God”. It is a new life of beauty and intimacy, symbolized by “a bride adorned for her husband”. It is a new life of total belongingness between God and His people, indicated by that “they will be his people … and God himself will be their God”. It is a new life of joy, indicated by the fact that “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death or mourning or crying or pain”. 3. In the gospel, Jesus gives us a new identity, a new vocation that is, being his disciples. He gives a new duty and mission and that is bearing witness to his discipleship. He also gives a new means, a new way, a new commandment, and that is to love another. But what is new in this so-called new commandment? 4. It is new because it expands and extends the hold and scope of Leviticus 19.18 of loving one’s neighbour as oneself. ‘Neighbour’ is no more tribalistic, a member of one’s own group; rather, a neighbour is universalistic, anyone in need, bound by the bond of faith and fraternity. It is new because the model is Jesus himself and his love. Jesus commanded: Just as I loved you, you too love another. Therefore, our love for one another should be like his love with the same passion, commitment, sacrifice, and service. Further, it is new because ‘loving one another becomes the identity mark of discipleship, the fulfillment of our mission and the fitting way of glorifying God. 5. Now in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see some concrete effects and manifestations of this new life. It is a new life of strength, strengthening the souls of the disciples. It is a new life of courage, encouraging them to continue in faith. It is a new life of openness, opening a door of faith to the Gentiles. It is a new life of commending and committing the believers to God with prayer and fasting. It is a new life of accomplishing and fulfilling all the works in God’s name and for His glory. Imperative: God is constantly calling us for a new life and offering us a new life. Then, why do we go on clinging to the old and former ways of sin and evil?