Daily Readings - Sun Jun 02 2019
Acts
1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen 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 unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Hebrews
24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;21And having an high priest over the house of God;22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Luke
44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.48And ye are witnesses of these things.49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.50And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:53And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
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.