The Ascension of the Lord
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May 21, 2020In the first reading, we hear from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. We know that Luke wrote the third Gospel, and the Acts of the Apostles.
In this book of Acts, Luke addresses a person, named Theophilus. Although this seems to be a specific person, it is all of us. The name or the word Theophilus means ‘Lover of God.’ We are all lovers of God. This is why normally you would be in church on this day because you are a lover of God.
A lover does what is pleasing to the other, the beloved. A lover does things to make the beloved happy. Jesus is our beloved loving us, and we are lovers of Him. Jesus tells us in the Gospel how to be a lover of Him as He ascends into heaven.
He tells us how to please Him and make Him happy. He says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Obviously this is directly for the apostles first, but of course, intended for all disciples.
The baptism part of course as a sacrament from the apostles and the priests that are ordained, but as we are all baptized we take on the responsibility of sharing in the ministry of teaching and spreading the Faith.
Jesus came to save us. You believe this, but do we believe enough to be lovers of Him? Do we proclaim to the world all He has done for us by His passion death and resurrection? Do we teach by word and hopefully even more by example all He had taught? Do we give witness for all He has done for us in our own personal lives? Do we speak about all the Blessings in our lives?
We do not have to be announcing in a way to turn people off, but in our everyday conversations with people about anything and everything it should be evident that we are lovers of Jesus.
Note that the apostles and disciples did not dive into this way of life after Jesus Ascended. It was only when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. This was the first novena. They spent 9 days in prayer as the bible says, waiting for the Holy Spirit after Ascension.
This is why we need the Holy Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit in order to have that Spirit in us to be able to proclaim Jesus in all we do and say all day.
I encourage you to pray the Holy Spirit Novena for the next 9 days and to consider praying to the Holy Spirit every single day so we can be true Teopholis - lovers of Jesus, and answer His last command before he left this earth!
