Daily Readings - Sun May 12 2024

¹In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach²until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.³After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.⁴On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.⁵For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."⁶So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"⁷He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."⁹After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.¹⁰They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.¹¹"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

First Reading - Ephesians 1.17-23 or Ephesians 4.1-7, 11-13

Ephesians

Chapter 1

¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,²⁰which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians

Chapter 4

¹As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.⁴There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism;⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.⁷But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,¹²to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Mark

Chapter 16

¹⁵He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;¹⁸they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."¹⁹After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.²⁰Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

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.