Daily Readings - Sun Jun 02 2019
Acts
1In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,2until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.3To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.4And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me;5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."6So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"7He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,11and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
First Reading - Ephesians 1.17-23 or Hebrews 9.24-28; 10.19-23
Ephesians
17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,18having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might20that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.22And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Hebrews
24For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.25Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,26for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Luke
44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,46and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.48You are witnesses of these things.49And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.51While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.52And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,53and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Sermon
In today's readings, we reflect on the ascension of Jesus and the empowerment of the disciples, drawing us into a deeper understanding of our faith and mission. The first reading from Acts describes the moment when Jesus ascends into heaven, leaving the disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit. This event marks the transition from Jesus' physical presence to the spiritual empowerment of the Church. The second reading from Ephesians highlights the richness of our inheritance in Christ, emphasizing His power and the Church's role as His body. The Gospel from Luke concludes with Jesus commissioning the disciples to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins, followed by His ascension, which becomes a moment of joy and praise for the disciples.
These readings are interconnected, as they all point to the ascension and the ensuing mission of the Church. Acts and Luke's Gospel are sequential, with Acts building on the events of Luke, showing the disciples' transformation from observers to active witnesses. Ephesians complements this by explaining the spiritual dimensions of our faith, reminding us of the power and glory we share in Christ. Together, they invite us to trust in God's timing and to embrace our role as witnesses, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are reminded to wait on God's plan and to trust in His power. Just as the disciples were called to wait for the Holy Spirit, we too are invited to be patient and open to the Spirit's guidance. The moral lesson here is one of trust and boldness. We are called to live as witnesses of Christ, sharing the message of repentance and forgiveness. Let us embrace our mission with joy, knowing that we are part of a larger story, empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill our role in God's plan.