Solemnity of the Ascension, World Communications Sunday

Readings: Acts of the Apostles 1:12-14; Peter 4:13-16; John 17:1-11a

(7th Easter Sunday).

Some Notes on World Communications Sunday. Theme for this Year: Preserving Human Voices and Faces. In his message, Pope Leo XIV highlights the importance of ensuring that technological innovations, particularly Artificial Intelligence, serve the human person rather than replacing or diminishing human dignity.

Some Notes on the Ascension:

The Feast celebrates the moment the risen Christ, in the sight of the Apostles, ascended bodily into heaven. Taking place on a Thursday, 40 days after the Resurrection, it is called Ascension Thursday.

But in the Philippines as well as in many other places, it has been moved to the following Sunday for pastoral reasons — so that many more people could celebrate it.

St. Augustine said the feast was of Apostolic origin. Eusebius hinted at a celebration in the 4th century. St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and the Constitution of the Apostle frequently mentioned it.

The Ascension ranks with the Feasts of the Passion, of Easter, and of Pentecost as among the most solemn in the liturgical calendar. Its vigil dates from the 15th century.

Liturgy of the Word:1st Reading, Acts 1:1-11. Luke begins his Acts with a repeat narrative of the Ascension, which ends his Gospel. In Acts he also gives a short summary of the post-Resurrection appearances.

Jesus promises the Apostles’ baptism with the Holy Spirit (vv. 1-5). Then he says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (vv. 6-8).

As Jerusalem is the place where salvation was accomplished, so Jerusalem becomes the starting point for the mission of the Apostles.

“As they look on, Jesus is lifted up, and a cloud takes him from their sight.” Then two angels (men in white garments) say to them, “Men of Galilee,” Jesus “will return in the same way as you have seen him going to heaven” (vv. 9-11). The “parousia” or Jesus’s Second Coming in glory will certainly occur as certainly as the Ascension occurred.

Resp. Ps. 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9. Verse 6 is notable: “God has gone up with a shout; the Lord, amid trumpet blasts” — our liturgical tradition has applied the verse to the Ascension.

2nd Reading, Eph. 1:17-23. A summary of this long and profoundly theological verses — Paul prays for the Ephesians (v.16) — that God may give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation (v.17); that they may be enlightened to know the hope and riches of his inheritance (v. 18); as well as the surpassing greatness of his power (v. 19), which he worked in raising Christ from the dead, and seating him at his right hand (v. 20), far above all power and authority for all time (vv. 21).

God put him as head over his body, the church (v. 22). As God “fills Christ,” so Christ in turn fills the church (v. 23).

Gospel, Mt. 28: 16-2. The Commissioning of the Disciples. As ordered by Jesus, the 11 disciples go to Galilee. On the Mount of Olives, near Bethany (v. 12), they see Jesus and worship him (vv. 16-17). Jesus says to them: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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” (vv. 18-19).

Footnote from the New American Bible: “This climactic scene has been called a ‘a proleptic parousia,’ for it gives a foretaste of the final glorious coming of the Son of Man (Mt. 26:64). Then his triumph will be manifest to all; now it is revealed only to his disciples, who are commissioned to announce it to all nations and bring them to belief in Jesus and obedience to his commandments.”

Christ’s Ascension “marks the definitive entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s holy heavenly domain” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 665). The Feast reminds us that our final home is heaven; it lifts us toward eternity. It is God’s promise and our hope. As the disciples went forth on mission to proclaim Jesus, we are likewise sent to mission — to witness courageously in a world that is often indifferent to him.

Prayer: Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God, and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving, for the Ascension of Christ, your Son, is our exaltation, and, where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow, through Christ our Lord. Amen.