Daily Readings - Sun Jun 01 2025
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
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the mystery of Christ’s ascension and its profound implications for our lives as followers of Jesus. 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. The disciples are left standing there, gazing upward, until two angels remind them that their attention should not remain fixed on the heavens but should instead be directed toward the mission that lies before them. This moment marks the end of Jesus’ physical presence among them, but it is also the beginning of a new era—the era of the Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The second reading from Ephesians helps us understand the spiritual significance of this event. Paul prays that we may have the “eyes of our hearts” enlightened to know the hope of God’s calling and the immense power that has been given to us through Christ. This power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the Father. It is a power that is not just for Jesus but for us as well, as we are united to him in his body, the Church. This passage reminds us that our lives are caught up in the grand drama of God’s plan, and we are called to live in the light of this truth.
The Gospel from Luke brings us back to the moment of Jesus’ departure. Before ascending, Jesus reminds the disciples that they are witnesses of his resurrection and that they are to preach repentance and forgiveness in his name to all nations. He then blesses them and is taken up into heaven, leaving them with a sense of joy and wonder. The disciples, filled with joy, return to Jerusalem and spend their days in the temple praising God. This is the pattern of Christian life: we are called to be witnesses of Christ’s love and redemption, and we are to live with hearts full of joy and gratitude, even as we await his return.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about looking back to what Christ has done but also about living in the present with hope and purpose. Like the disciples, we are called to be witnesses of Christ’s resurrection and to share the Good News with the world. The ascension of Jesus is not an end but a beginning—the beginning of the Church’s mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Let us ask for the grace to live as witnesses of Christ’s love, to trust in God’s plan, and to always remember that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. May our hearts be filled with the same joy and hope that filled the disciples as they returned to Jerusalem, ready to share the message of salvation with the world.