THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, B

-


HIS FIGHT IS OURS TOO




By now, we have been inoculated with the mantra of Manny Pacquiao’s latest boxing fight: Manny’s fight was the fight of all Filipinos. His victory is a shared national triumph. (Laban ni Manny, laban ng Pilipino!). But is his personal glory really the glory of his fellow citizens? If only his huge earnings will also go into the pockets of all his poor fans!

Today we come to the ending saga of the mystery of Easter. This Sunday, we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heavenly glory. His earthly life is over and now he resumes the life he had with the Father from the beginning. Jesus returns to heaven.

The Ascension reminds us that Jesus’ own fight for goodness, for service, for salvation, for rightesouness before God and harmony with our neighbors, all these were really our fight, too. His life, death and glory truly flow into the lives of all humanity but especially on those who believe in him as Lord of their lives.

In the Ascension, God exalts his Son. But he also exalts all of us by telling us that Jesus won his earthly battles so that all of us can win our own struggle to reach the heavenly reward. The Ascension is the doorway to a real and living relationship with God that transforms us and all our relationships.

We see Jesus rising up to heaven in power. Don’t forget though, that as he departs, he imparts his power on his disciples. “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (cf. Acts 1:1-11). Now we share in his power to love, to forgive, and to serve. Now we are his witnesses in the world. The Spirit that animated Jesus on earth is at work in our hearts too!  The gospel (cf Lk. 24) shows Jesus blessing his disciples so that their work will also be as fruitful and meaningful as his own.

May we experience the power of God in our daily life of weakness, ignorance and sin. May our eyes be opened to see that Jesus’ power accompanies us every day.

Popular posts from this blog

HOLY MASS IN FILIPINO (TAGALOG)

-
Image
ANG BANAL NA MISA PAMBUNGAD NA AWIT Pari:    Sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng anak, at ng Espiritu Santo. Bayan: Amen P.         Sumainyo ang Panginoon. B.        At sumainyo rin. P.         Mga kapatid, aminin nating ang ating mga kasalanan upang tayo’y maging marapat sa pagdiriwang ng banal na paghahaing ito.             Sinugong Tagapagpagaling sa mga nagsisisi,             Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. B.        Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. P.        Dumating na Tagapag-anyayang mga makasalana’y magsisi,             Kristo, kaawaan mo kami. B.         Kristo, kaawaan mo kami. P.         Nakaluklok ka sa kanan ng Diyos Ama para ipamagitan kami             Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. B.         Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. P.         Kaawaan tayo ng makapangyarihang Diyos,             Patawarin tayo sa ating mga kasalanan,             At patnubayan tayo sa buhay na walang hanggan. B.        Amen. GLORIA/ LUWALHATI
Read more

SIMBANG GABI DAY 1: READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

-
Image
FIRST DAY: DECEMBER 16   (from the book: Where is the Child?by Fr. R. Marcos (Makati: StPauls);  pls responsibly acknowledge source when using publicly)   fr tam nguyen's photo First Reading: Isaiah 56:1-3, 6-8   Thus says the Lord: Observe what is right, do what is just, for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.   Hay is the one who does this, whoever holds fast to it: Keeping the sabbath without profaning it, keeping one’s hand from doing any evil. The foreigner joined to the Lord should not say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people”; Nor should the eunuch say, “See, I am a dry tree.” And foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, to become his servants—All who keep the sabbath without profaning it and hold fast to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will
Read more

SIMBANG GABI DAY 2: READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

-
Image
SECOND DAY: December 17   (from the book: Where is the Child?by Fr. R. Marcos (Makati: StPauls);  pls responsibly acknowledge source when using publicly)   fr tam nguyen's photo   First Reading: Genesis 49:2, 8-10   Jacob called his sons and said [to them]: “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel, your father. “You, Judah, shall your brothers praise—your hand on the neck of your enemies;the sons of your father shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s cub, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches, lies down like a lion, Like a lioness—who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people’s obedience.”     A.             Short Background on the First Reading   1. Who was Judah? Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (or Israel). Jacob was considered the father of the nation of Israel and his twelve sons were cons
Read more