Daily Readings - Sun May 12 2024
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 Ephesians 4.1-7, 11-13
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.
Ephesians
1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Mark
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of Christ’s ascension and the mission that follows. In the first reading from Acts, we witness the moment when Jesus, after appearing to his disciples for forty days, is taken up into heaven. This event marks the end of his physical presence among them, but it also signals the beginning of a new era—the era of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises his disciples that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit, which will enable them to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. This passage reminds us that the ascension is not an end but a new beginning, as Christ’s mission now continues through his followers.
The second reading from Ephesians deepens our understanding of the significance of Christ’s ascension. Paul prays that the Ephesians may have the wisdom to grasp the hope and glory that belong to them as followers of Christ. He emphasizes that Christ has been exalted above all things and that the Church, as his body, shares in his mission. This reading connects the ascension to the universal scope of God’s plan, reminding us that Christ’s power and authority are at work in us, enabling us to live as his body in the world.
The Gospel from Mark brings us to the moment when Jesus commissions his disciples to “go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” This is the Great Commission, a call to share the Good News of salvation with all people. The signs that accompany those who believe—such as healing, casting out demons, and speaking new languages—serve as a reminder that the power of God is at work through us. This passage challenges us to embrace our role as missionary disciples, trusting in the power of God to work through us.
These readings together remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for Christ’s return but about living as active participants in his mission. The ascension frees us from being limited to a physical presence and empowers us to share the Gospel with the world. As we go about our daily lives, we are called to be witnesses of Christ’s love and truth, trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us. Let us ask for the grace to live with hope, to trust in God’s plan, and to be bold in sharing the Good News with all those we encounter.