Reflection
Today, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Christianity, the bodily rising of Jesus into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection.
In many dioceses, the Feast of The Ascension of the Lord, which is really on Thursday of the 6th week of Easter, has been transferred to this Sunday so that more people can participate in this celebration.
Ascension just means ‘rising’.
The interesting seen in the gospel is that the disciples gathered as Jesus ordered them.
They worshipped him.
But,
They doubted.
It also means in the gospel of Mathew ‘having little faith’.
I worship but I have little faith.
What can I do?
Or
What do I understand?
I understand that ‘Rising’ above your worship is ascension.
What is worship?
Worship is reverence to someone/deity.
I rise above reverence to deity to the All Powerful or Almighty, who is unknown.
Baptism is the next step in our rising towards unknown.
Baptism means purification.
Baptism is done with a sign: in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This trinitarian God symbolises ‘Community’.
So,
Purification is done in the community.
How can we purify the community?
Jesus says that instruct them the commandments.
What are the commandments?
They are summarised into two commandments.
They are:
Love your God with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your heart, and with all your strength.
Love your neighbour as yourself.
Loving God started when you wanted to rise above worship to unknown God.
Loving neighbour means loving the needy.
That is the reason, Mathew says when you serve my little ones you serve me.
We experience a true unknown God who says that I am with you in our service till end of the age rising in our faith.
