Scripture Reflections for the Ascension of the Lord

Year B, Lectionary 58


We can limit the significance of the Ascension of Jesus into Christ going up into heaven and no longer seeing him. But we are meant to see how we are opened up to a relationship with the Holy Trinity. We are offered to enter into communion with God by Jesus, fully human and fully divine, entering the divine realm. Uniting Heaven and Earth in the process. Like those early disciples we are not meant to stand looking up at the sky but to go on mission through the Holy Spirit of gathering others into this relationship with God.

Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: AscensionBaptismCalmCloudDescendDescribeDiscipleEnvironmentExpandExperienceGatherGloryHeavenHoly SpiritHopeIncarnationJoyKingdomMissionMotherPresencePriestProclaimSalvationSightTimeVocation

Acts 1:1-11

“Through the Holy Spirit we receive power not to be passive onlookers staring at the cloud but to become an active cloud of witnesses and ministry with the living Christ who is among us”


U.S. Catholic magazine Grace Ji-Sun Kim 05/09/2024
New

“If you read the New Testament in light of the Old Testament you'll notice that the number 40 is a very significant number and whenever you see the number 40, especially 40 days and 40 nights, it always refers to two things: it's a time of transition and it's a time of purification and preparation”


Catholic Productions "The Ascension: Why 40 Days?" Brant Pitre 05/18/2020
Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9
Ephesians 4:1-13 or
Ephesians 1:17-23

“what Paul is trying to say here in Ephesians 1 is that when Christ ascended into heaven he wasn't simply vindicated as the Messiah, he was also exalted in his humanity, this is really crucial, above all of the angels”


Catholic Productions "Human Nature and the Angelic Powers" Brant Pitre 06/29/2022
Mark 16:15-20
Overall Readings

“Jesus wants to grow in your heart but it's going to require that you let go and stay open, let Jesus smash the walls of the box that we put him in today so that he can grow larger for tomorrow”


Holy Name of Jesus Church & Loyola Ministry "Your Jesus is too small…" Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ 05/12/2024
New

“Will Hunting knew the theory, he had the words but not the experience. The first disciples of Jesus had the opposite problem. They had the experience, but they struggled to put that experience into words.”


"The Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven" Fr. Geoffrey Plant 05/05/2024
New

“we are called to follow him, we are called to ascend as well, ascend to the heights and in order to do that we must let go of the past manifestation of Jesus and receive the new manifestation of Jesus even in our own lives”


Holy Name of Jesus Church & Loyola Ministry "FIVE TO ONE AT HNJ" Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ 05/16/2021

“So Church family remember at every moment of your life ‘I have a mission’ and let that influence your interactions with the world, which is to love”


Bellarmine Chapel Fr. Damian Torres-Botello, SJ 05/12/2024
New

“God wants to take us from resentment to love, from being hurt into being healed. God wants us to take us from having a grudge to saying ‘I forgive you.’”


St. Teresa of Avila - DC Monsignor Raymond East 05/12/2024
New

“the life of Christians in the Acts of the Apostles mirror the life of Jesus in the Gospel according to Luke”


Fr. Emmanuel Ochigbo 05/06/2024
New

“Church, your destiny is glory, your destiny, your final destination is to be where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father”


St. Teresa of Avila - DC Monsignor Raymond East 05/16/2021

Fr. Tony Ricard 05/12/2024
New

“The readings from Acts says that Jesus presented himself alive by many proofs. What proofs will we offer the world to show that Christ is alive in us?”


Catholic Women Preach Megan Effron 05/16/2021

“What influence do I have in the society as a Christian using the skills and opportunities God has given me?”


Catholic Women Preach Elizabeth Ngami 05/02/2018