2023-05-21 10:55:34
“Today we not only ‘touch heaven with our finger’, as we say in moments of great happiness, but we touch it with all our flesh,” Pope Francis said. The Holy Father explained the meaning of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven celebrated this Sunday, before the Marian prayer of the Regina cæli.
James Ngol, SJ – Vatican City
Commenting on the Gospel of this Sunday of the Ascension of the Lord, the Sovereign Pontiff above all asked himself certain questions, namely:why celebrate the departure of Jesus from the earth; what is Jesus doing in heaven now?, why is it important that he is there?», questions that help to understand the meaning of the Ascension.
The Ascension of Jesus brings us closer to heaven
«With the Ascension, something new and very beautiful happened“, affirmed François explaining that by this rise “Jesus took our humanity to heaven“. Thus, this humanity that Jesus took did not remain on earth, “she ascended into God and will remain there forever“. And since that day, continued the Sovereign Pontiff,God himself has changed; he carries within him our flesh, our humanity“. By Ascension, our place is indicated, “our destiny is here“. Recalling Saint Gregory of Nyssa,he who became man for us […]to make us his brothers, presents himself as a man before the Father, to take with him all who are united to himsaid Francois. Today, “we celebrate the conquest of the sky; not only do we touch the sky with our fingers, but we touch it with all our fleshcontinued the Pope. Because the sky is no longer far away, “This is our house, this is the place that Jesus went to prepare for us. He opened the way for us and we can follow him and live forever in paradise as children of the Father”.
Jesus, our advocate before the Father
Responding to the question “what is Jesus doing in heaven?», the bishop of Rome reassured that «he is for us before the Father, he continually shows him our humanity, the wounds he has suffered for us“. This is the mission that Christ, having lived our human condition, assumes with the Father, working so to speak “as our advocate before the Father“. So he didn’t leave us alone. In fact, before going up, he told us, as the Gospel reports, “I am with you every day until the end of the world“. This declaration, Francis said, makes us sure of the permanent presence of Christ who is “always alive to intercede on our behalf“. Christ therefore expects us to come to him, bringingsituations, problems, people, miseries and sins, so that he obtains for us, not only forgiveness and mercy“, but also, that he “send upon us his love and that of the Father, the Holy Spirit“. This is the importance of the presence of Jesus in heaven.
On a mission to baptize and intercede
Jesus, ascending to heaven, entrusts us with the mission of making disciples, strengthened by the Holy Spirit whom he will send. He therefore asks us toto engage, to be active, to baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit“. To baptize, the Holy Father explained, “literally means to immerse“. Thus, by baptismwe are called to “immerse” in God everything we experience and the people we meet».
This is why Pope Francis, before concluding, invited everyone to do an examination of conscience, urging them to ask themselves: “do I intercede, do I immerse in God the people I know, those who confide their problems to me, those who are going through difficult times? Do I make myself an intercessor for them with Jesus, who awaits my prayer to grant his Spirit to those whom I present to him? Do I bring to the Lord my burdens, but also those of the Church and of the world?».
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