The Ascension of Our Lord

The Ascension of Our Lord, May 17, 2026

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20

(Image courtesy: Google)

Years ago, a fishing fleet went out from a small harbour on the east coast of Newfoundland. In the afternoon there came a great storm. When night settled down, not a single vessel of all the fleet had found its way into the port.  All night long, wives, mothers, children and sweethearts paced up and down the beach, wringing their hands and calling on God to save their loved ones. To add to the horror of the situation, one of the cottages caught fire. Since the men were all away, it was impossible to save the home.  When the morning broke, to the joy of all, the entire fleet found safe harbour in the bay. But there was one face with a picture of despair – the wife of the man whose home had been destroyed. Meeting her husband as he landed, she cried, oh, husband, we are ruined. Our home and all it contained was destroyed by fire.” But the man exclaimed, “Thank God for the fire. It was the light of our burning cottage that guided the whole fleet into port.”

The feast of the Ascension of the Lord speaks to us about a similar moment in the life of the Church. Jesus completed His earthly mission and returned to the Father, but before ascending, He entrusted His mission to His disciples. The work was not finished. The Gospel had to reach every nation. Hearts had to be transformed. The world had to hear the message of salvation. And so Jesus handed over the mission to ordinary men and women who often felt weak, fearful, and unworthy.

The Ascension is not the story of Jesus leaving the world behind. It is the story of Jesus entrusting the world to His disciples. Sometimes people think of the Ascension as Jesus going far away from us. But the feast actually reminds us that Christ remains present in a new and powerful way. He is no longer limited to one place or one group of people. Through the Holy Spirit and through the Church, Christ continues His work in every corner of the world.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus spends forty days with His disciples after the Resurrection, speaking to them about the Kingdom of God. Before ascending into heaven, He gives them a mission and a promise. The mission is to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. The promise is that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. The disciples are still thinking in limited ways. They ask Jesus if He will now restore the kingdom to Israel. Their minds are focused on political success and earthly expectations. But Jesus lifts their vision higher. He tells them that their mission is much greater than they imagine. They are to become witnesses of God’s love and salvation for the entire world.

Then Jesus ascends before their eyes. As the disciples stand looking up toward heaven, angels appear and ask them, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” In other words, the disciples cannot remain frozen in fear or wonder. They have a mission to continue. Faith is not about standing still. Faith sends us into action. This message is important for us today. Many Christians admire Jesus, pray to Him, and celebrate Him, but hesitate to continue His mission. We sometimes limit our faith to personal devotion while forgetting that every baptized person is called to witness to Christ in daily life.

The second reading from the Letter to the Ephesians reminds us of the greatness of Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father, above all powers and dominions. St Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so that we may understand the hope to which we are called. The Ascension is therefore not a farewell filled with sadness. It is a celebration of hope. Christ is glorified, and because He is glorified, we too are called to share in His life. Jesus ascends not to abandon humanity but to open heaven for humanity.

St Paul wants Christians to realize the immense dignity they have received in Christ. Too often we live with discouragement, fear, or spiritual mediocrity. We forget that we are children of God and members of Christ’s body. The Ascension reminds us that our destiny is not earthly success alone. Our destiny is eternal communion with God.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives His final command to the disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” These are not merely instructions for priests or missionaries. This mission belongs to the whole Church.

Notice that Jesus sends imperfect disciples. Some of them worshipped Him, but the Gospel also says that some doubted. Yet Jesus still entrusted them with His mission. God does not wait for perfect people before working through them. He works through ordinary people who are willing to trust Him. Jesus asks His disciples to teach, baptize, and proclaim His message to all nations. Christianity is not meant to remain hidden inside church walls. The Gospel must enter homes, workplaces, schools, and society itself.

Jesus also gives one final assurance. “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” These words are the foundation of Christian courage. The disciples would face persecution, suffering, rejection, and martyrdom, yet they would never be alone. The risen Lord would remain with them.

The same promise is given to us today. In moments of weakness, Christ is with us. In moments of confusion, Christ is with us. In moments when we feel unworthy or incapable, Christ is with us.

There are three important life messages for us on this feast of the Ascension.

First, every Christian has a mission. Faith is not something private that we keep only for ourselves. Jesus sends each of us to become witnesses through our words, actions, and way of life.

Second, we should not be afraid of our weaknesses. The disciples themselves were imperfect and doubtful, yet Jesus trusted them. God works through humble and willing hearts.

Third, our hope must always remain fixed on heaven. The Ascension reminds us that earthly life is not the final destination. We are created for eternal life with God.

Today the Church celebrates not an ending but a beginning. Jesus ascends to the Father, and the disciples begin their mission. The Gospel message continues to spread because generation after generation of believers have courageously carried forward the work of Christ.

At the beginning, we heard the story of Leonardo da Vinci handing over an unfinished masterpiece to his student. The student felt incapable and unworthy, yet the master encouraged him by saying, “Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?”

In the same way, Jesus has entrusted His mission to us. The Kingdom of God is the unfinished masterpiece. Christ has shown us the way through His life, death, and Resurrection. Now He places the mission into our hands. We may feel weak, sinful, or inadequate, but the example of Jesus should inspire us to give our best.

The Ascension reminds us that Christ believes in us enough to entrust His work to us. May we never stand merely looking toward heaven while ignoring the mission on earth. Instead, strengthened by His presence and guided by the Holy Spirit, may we continue the work of Christ with faith, courage, and hope.

Happy Sunday

Sixth Sunday after Easter

 Sixth Sunday after Easter May 10, 2026

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; 1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21

(image courtesy: Google)

A well-known surgeon once spoke at a medical conference about one experience that changed his understanding of life. During a difficult operation, a young nurse who had been assisting him for years suddenly noticed a small but dangerous complication that everyone else in the room had missed. Quietly but firmly she pointed it out. The surgeon admitted later that at first he felt irritated because he was the expert and she was only an assistant. Yet within moments he realized that her observation had saved the patient’s life. After the surgery, he reflected deeply and said, “Knowledge alone is not enough. One must also have the humility to listen, the courage to respond, and the heart to care.” From that day onward, he changed the atmosphere of his operating room. Every person was encouraged to speak, to care, and to act with responsibility for the life before them.

The readings of this Sixth Sunday after Easter invite us into that same spirit of listening, responding, and caring. They remind us that Christian life is not merely about believing certain truths. It is about allowing the Spirit of God to transform our hearts so that we become living witnesses of Christ in the world.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see Philip going to Samaria and proclaiming Christ to the people. The people listened attentively because they saw signs of healing and liberation. Unclean spirits were driven out, the sick were healed, and there was great joy in the city. The Gospel was not simply preached through words. It was experienced through transformed lives. This passage is significant because the Samaritans were once considered outsiders and enemies by the Jews. Yet the grace of God breaks barriers. The apostles Peter and John later come to Samaria and pray over the people so that they may receive the Holy Spirit. They lay hands on them, and the Spirit fills them.

This reading teaches us that the Church is a community of communion. Faith is not private and isolated. The Spirit unites believers and makes them one family in Christ. Wherever the Holy Spirit is welcomed, division begins to disappear, wounds begin to heal, and joy enters human hearts.

Today our world desperately needs this joy. Many people are surrounded by comfort yet remain empty within. We see anxiety, loneliness, broken relationships, and fear increasing everywhere. The Gospel reminds us that real joy does not come from possessions or success alone. Joy comes when Christ enters our lives and when the Spirit of God renews our hearts.

In the second reading, St Peter speaks to Christians who were facing suffering and persecution. He tells them to always be ready to give an explanation for the hope that is within them. But he adds something very important. This witness must be given with gentleness and reverence. Christian witness is not arrogance. It is not forcing religion upon others. It is the quiet strength of a life rooted in Christ. People are convinced more by holiness than by arguments. A peaceful person in a troubled world becomes a witness. A forgiving person in a bitter world becomes a witness. A hopeful person in a despairing world becomes a witness.

St Peter points to Jesus Himself as the model. Christ suffered for sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. Jesus did not save the world through power or violence. He saved the world through love, sacrifice, and obedience to the Father.

This reading challenges us personally. When people look at our lives, do they see hope? Do they encounter peace, patience, kindness, and trust in God? Or do they see the same anger, negativity, and selfishness that exists everywhere else? Every Christian is called to become a living explanation of the hope that comes from Christ.

In the Gospel from St John, Jesus speaks tenderly to His disciples before His Passion. He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Love is not merely an emotion or a feeling. True love is shown through fidelity and action. Jesus then promises that He will ask the Father to send another Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, who will remain with them forever.

What a comforting promise this is. Jesus knew that His disciples would face confusion, fear, persecution, and weakness. Yet He assured them that they would never be abandoned. The Holy Spirit would guide them, strengthen them, and remind them of His presence.

Jesus also says, “I will not leave you orphans.” These words touch the deepest longing of every human heart. Many people feel abandoned today. Some feel abandoned by family, by society, even by God. Yet Jesus promises His continual presence. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ walks with us in every trial and every uncertainty. The Spirit of God is not merely an abstract force. The Spirit teaches, consoles, challenges, inspires, and transforms. The Spirit gives courage to forgive when forgiveness seems impossible. The Spirit gives strength to continue when life becomes heavy. The Spirit gives wisdom to choose truth over compromise.

Often we pray for miracles while ignoring the quiet work of the Spirit already happening within us. Every movement toward goodness, every desire for prayer, every act of compassion, every step toward reconciliation is the work of the Holy Spirit.

The readings today invite us to open our hearts more deeply to this Spirit. Christianity is not simply following rules. It is living in communion with the living God. When the Holy Spirit fills a person, life changes. Fear becomes courage. Sadness becomes joy. Division becomes unity. Weakness becomes witness.

There are three important life messages for us today.

First, Christian faith must bring joy and healing to others. The people of Samaria experienced joy because the Gospel touched their lives. Our presence should also bring peace, encouragement, and hope to those around us.

Second, our witness must be gentle and authentic. Saint Peter reminds us that faith is shown through the quality of our lives. People should encounter Christ not only in our words but also in our attitudes and actions.

Third, we are never alone because the Holy Spirit remains with us. Jesus does not abandon His people. Even in moments of darkness, confusion, or suffering, God walks beside us and strengthens us from within.

At the beginning, we heard the story of the surgeon who discovered that true greatness requires humility, attentiveness, and care for others. His life changed when he learned to listen and respond with openness. The readings today invite us into that same transformation. The Holy Spirit speaks quietly within our hearts, guiding us toward truth, compassion, and courage. But we must be willing to listen. When we allow the Spirit to lead us, our lives become instruments of healing and hope for the world around us.

May this Eucharist renew within us the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we may live as joyful witnesses of Christ, bringing hope, peace, and love wherever we go.

Happy Sunday