Daily Readings - Sun May 21 2023

¹Certainly, O Theophilus, I composed the first discourse about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach²instructing the Apostles, whom he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, even until the day on which he was taken up³He also presented himself alive to them, after his Passion, appearing to them throughout forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God with many elucidations⁴And dining with them, he instructed them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the Promise of the Father, "about which you have heard," he said, "from my own mouth⁵For John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.⁶Therefore, those who had assembled together questioned him, saying, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel?⁷But he said to them: "It is not yours to know the times or the moments, which the Father has set by his own authority⁸But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit, passing over you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.⁹And when he had said these things, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight¹⁰And while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments¹¹And they said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall return in just the same way that you have seen him going up to heaven.

Ephesians

Chapter 1

¹⁷so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give a spirit of wisdom and of revelation to you, in knowledge of him¹⁸May the eyes of your heart be illuminated, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and the wealth of the glory of his inheritance with the saints¹⁹and the preeminent magnitude of his virtue toward us, toward we who believe in accord with the work of his powerful virtue²⁰which he wrought in Christ, raising him from the dead and establishing him at his right hand in the heavens²¹above every principality and power and virtue and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age, but even in the future age²²And he has subjected all things under his feet, and he has made him the head over the entire Church²³which is his body and which is the fullness of him who accomplishes everything in everyone

Matthew

Chapter 28

¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went on to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them¹⁷And, seeing him, they worshipped him, but certain ones doubted¹⁸And Jesus, drawing near, spoke to them, saying: "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth¹⁹Therefore, go forth and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have ever commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the consummation of the age.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter pivotal moments in the narrative of our faith, each offering profound insights into the mission and authority of Jesus Christ. The first reading from Acts describes the Ascension, where Jesus instructs His disciples to await the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem before He ascends into heaven, leaving them with the promise of empowerment for their future mission. The second reading from Ephesians is a prayer by Paul, seeking wisdom and revelation for the believers, emphasizing God’s power and Christ’s supremacy over all creation. The Gospel from Matthew presents the Great Commission, where Jesus commands His disciples to baptize and teach all nations, assuring them of His perpetual presence. These passages are deeply interconnected, each highlighting different facets of Jesus’s authority and the disciples’ role in His mission. Acts and Matthew focus on the post-resurrection commands, preparing the disciples for their evangelical mission, while Ephesians underscores the spiritual power and authority bestowed upon believers through Christ. Together, they illustrate the transition from Jesus’s physical presence to the spiritual empowerment of His followers, equipping them to spread His message universally. In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust in God’s timing and power. Like the disciples, we are called to wait patiently for His guidance and to embrace the mission He has entrusted to us. The Great Commission urges us to share our faith actively, while Ephesians encourages us to live with the confidence of Christ’s authority over all things. The moral lesson here is one of faith, trust, and obedience, recognizing God’s sovereignty and our role as His ambassadors in the world. May we, like the early disciples, be empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill our calling with courage and love.