WORD 2day: 2nd June, 2014

Disciples of the Lord who has conquered the world

Acts 19:1-8; Jn 16: 29-33

Take courage, I have conquered the world, declares Jesus! With Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father (cf Eph 1:20), the apostles and the early Church, found a great power in their witness and in their proclamation. The gift of the Holy Spirit was an absolute boost to the faith community and their faith, and its expressions reach a totally different level with the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (cf. 2 Tim 1:7) and that is what the Lord fills us with. We are the temple of this Spirit and the Spirit dwells in us. At times we live like sleeping giants, with the Spirit stifled to be dormant within us. The days to follow are days in preparation towards the feast of Pentecost: a reminder of the Spirit that we are all gifted with; a challenge to surrender to the Spirit and become active agents of the Spirit.

Let us thank God that we are not in a position to say, "we have never even heard that there is a holy spirit" ( Acts 19:2). However, let us become aware of the power that the Spirit brings to our life and our faith. With the Spirit, and only with the Spirit, can we be true disciples of the Lord who has conquered the world!

Gone to be with us!

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord: 1st June, 2014

Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20

Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age - Jesus could not have kept this promise if he were not to ascend to his Father. Infact, in ascension we remember the fact that he is gone to his father, he is gone so that he can be with us always and everywhere. The second reading explains to us that Jesus has ascended to his Father and sits on His right, thus being present to us universally and incessantly.

Three things that the readings say to us today can suffice to make a fruitful reflection on today's Word. 

The first message is: GO! Why are you standing and staring at the sky... he is gone, now it is time for you to go! Jesus ascends to the Father to remind us that we are not permanent here, and our permanent abode is elsewhere. "We are longing for a better country; the heavenly one!" says the letter to the Hebrews (Cf. 11:16). Ascension, is a reminder to go, to keep going, not to get fixed, not to grow complacent, not to get stuck! Again the movement upwards is very significant in this regard. 

The second message is: GO and PROCLAIM! The Lord commissions the disciples as they surround Him for the final farewell. It is a parting commission, the last wish - that the believers go and make disciples. Making disciples is first of all through inspiration, through the contagious fire within, through the life style that challenges even the onlooker to get closer in order that he or she may understand what makes all the difference that there is. To proclaim is the parting task entrusted to us!

The third message is: GO, PROCLAIM and FEAR NOT! As we heard the Lord saying a few days ago to St. Paul: 'Go on speaking, and do not be silent... for I am with you (Acts 18:9,10). The Ascension of the Lord fills us with hope, a hope that the Lord is ever with us. This hope rules out any fear of future and judgement. It is only in the absence of fear that love gets deepened. Fear not, hope in me, for I am with you, I will be with you until the end of the ages.

To go is a challenge, to go and proclaim is the command and to go, proclaim and not to fear is the companionship of the Lord. The Lord ascends today but we are not abandoned, because the presence of the Lord continues to be. The Lord has gone, but he has gone so that he could be with us, evermore effectively and universally. It is upto you and me, to realise that presence, believe in that presence and draw strength from that presence, to live our daily life worthy of the One who loves to remain with us!