As he ascends to the heavenly heights, Jesus gives the great commission: go out to the whole world. Here’s today’s reflection from the daily Mass.
Readings for the Ascension of the Lord can be found here
Marshal McLuhan was a visionary Canadian philosopher and a foundational figure in communication studies. Often called the “father of media studies,” he coined the term “global village” to describe how electronic media enables human interaction on a global scale.
Today, as we celebration the Ascension of the Lord, our eyes may indeed be on heaven where Christ has gone before us as he returns to the Father. And yet, the angels ask them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven?” The words of Jesus turns his disciples’ sights outwards to the world, the global village. The Acts of the Apostles has Jesus telling his disciples, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” and Matthew’s account has him saying “Go, and make disciples of all nations.”
From the earliest days, the commission given to the disciples was global, charging them to set their sights on the global village beyond the confines of Jerusalem. The good news of Jesus is for the whole world. In the years to come, the apostles will leave the familiarity of their home to travel far and wide to proclaim the risen Lord throughout the world. However, before they can do that, they are told to “stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father” by which he means the Holy Spirit. We may be eager and restless to move on, to think that we can and should do more, thinking that being busy and active is the be all and end all. However, before we do that, we also need to spend time in stillness, waiting for God’s Spirit to guide us and strengthen us. That’s the promise of today’s celebration. The promise of the Father, the gift of the Spirit who raises our hearts to heaven and strengthens us to serve him in the world.
Mass today is in Ss Dyfrig and Samson at 10am and S Mary’s at 7pm
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