Reflections on the Gospel
Friday, April 5, 2024
Scripture Insights
Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth. While no longer physically here on earth, Christ is with us through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
The familiar reading from the opening verses of the Acts of the Apostles speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ ascent into heaven. Jesus promises that when the Spirit comes, the disciples will be his “witness in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Once again, our responsorial psalm proclaims God’s kingship over all the earth. On a solemnity such as this, the proclamation that “God reigns” seems most fitting.
In today’s second reading, from the Letter to the Ephesians, we hear exhortations on how to live as faithful followers of Jesus. If we are true to our call, we will be humble, gentle, patient, and loving, and we will pursue unity within the community. While the words of this letter are lovely, they are not all that easy to live.
From the Gospel of Mark, we hear a commission not unlike what we heard in our first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ must be shared with all peoples! While this portion of Mark is believed to have been a late addition to the earlier text, it is recognized as the canonical ending of this Gospel.
Witnesses are key to the ministry of Jesus: both what they have seen, and how they tell about it. Storytelling is not only a way to recount historical events, but a way for us to make sense of what is happening in the midst of them. It’s a way we find ourselves wading through the feelings and circumstances to make meaning of them, and to tell the Gospel message in a way that others may understand. Remember the invitation of St. Teresa of Avila: “Christ has no body but yours. . . Yours are the hands. . . , the feet. . . , the eyes. You are his body.” As we retell the story of Christ’s ascension into heaven, we are made acutely aware of our charge: to be Christ in the world.
As we proclaim the Good News: are we disparaging other ways of life? Are we limiting who or what God loves, and how? Are we failing to leave room for diversity of perspective, practice, or pace? Evangelization and ecumenism need not be enemies.