My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord this Sunday. After spending 40 days with the disciples after Easter Sunday, our Lord ascended to heaven with the promise of sending his Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. In today’s gospel, we hear Mark’s account of this crucial moment in which Jesus takes his place at the right hand of the Father.
Three things should catch our attention from Mark’s account. First, Jesus’ great commission, meaning the divine command to “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” Second, Jesus’ teaching on the necessity of baptism for salvation: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” Third, the list of signs that will accompany those who believe: speak new languages, drive out demons, pick up serpents, drink poison without harm, and lay hands on the sick. These signs will be fulfilled in the Acts of the Apostles and are still fulfilled in our day.
Our mothers are probably the first disciples we ever met, the first ones that preach the gospel to us, the ones that brought us to the Sacrament Baptism so that we might experience the cleansing power of the Spirit.
So, Jesus went up to heaven and left us a clear mission to follow. We might ask ourselves: are people following these divine commands? I can say with certainty that many are doing it. People that are super close to us, are so close that sometimes we are not even aware of it. They are our mothers. Our mothers are probably the first disciples we ever met, the first ones that preach the gospel to us, the ones that brought us to the Sacrament Baptism so that we might experience the cleansing power of the Spirit. For this reason, on this Sunday in which we also celebrate and remember our mothers, I invite you to say to your moms wherever they are: “Thank you, Mom, for the gift of faith, for the gift of life.” I also invite you to give thanks to our Heavenly Mother, the Holy Virgin Mary by praying the rosary today in her honor for the gift of Our Savior Jesus Christ.
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Fr. Cesar Valencia P.E.S