Meditation for the Solemnity of the Ascension

Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord, and well worth a meditation on the scripture reading.  The Gospel reading is for Year C.

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.

And 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.”

 

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,

raised his hands, and blessed them.

As he blessed them he parted from them

and was taken up to heaven.

They did him homage

and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

and they were continually in the temple praising God.

~Lk 24:46-53

 

Here is a treat.  Pope Leo XIV’s homily for Ascension Thursday.  This is digitally translated from what I’m guessing was in Italian.  It is a spotty computer generated audio, but well worth listening to.  The actual words are streamed across the screen. 

Now some of you may be wondering why some have the Solemnity of the Ascension on Thursday and some on Sunday.  Fr. Patrick Briscoe O.P. explains in the first half of his homily and then provides a pastoral meditation in the second half.

  

 

Sunday Meditation: “As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.."

 

I don’t know Phil Wickham but his song “The Ascension” is wonderful.

 

 

 You can read the lyrics here.    

 

But I find the chorus of the song interesting:

 

Let us start the ascension, let's begin the climb

Up this Holy mountain where Your glory shines

Further up, further in

Just to be with You again

Let us start the ascension (Oh, oh, oh-whoa)

 

“Further up, further in” is a quote from C.S. Lewis in the Narnia series, “The Last Battle.”