June 1, 2025 Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Daily Readings: Acts 1: 1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23 (OR) Hebrews 9: 24-28; 10: 19-23; Luke 24: 46-53
The Ascension marks the culmination of the earthly mission of Jesus, as He returns to the Father in glory, body and soul. This event is not one of departure or abandonment, but of transition. Jesus affirms His divine, continuing presence through the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. In the words of St. Augustine, “Jesus remains present through His divinity and love, urging us to set our hearts on things above.”
The Ascension offers the completion of Jesus’ earthly life — He who came into the world, incarnate as a human being. The presence of angels, both at His birth and now at His Ascension, invites us to reflect on this completion. At Jesus’ birth, the angels announced the coming of the Messiah. Now, at His Ascension, the angels appear again — this time with the promise of His second coming.
The disciples, initially stunned, are reminded by the angels to stop gazing at the sky and instead embrace their mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the earth. “Go and make disciples of all nations” is the parting mandate given to all of us. We are called to move from passive wonder to active witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. So, the mission continues…
The Ascension also invites us to reflect on Christ’s continued presence in the Eucharist. While the Ascension might seem like God’s departure from the world, the Eucharist points to His abiding presence. This presence fills us with untold joy — a joy that can only be realized when our faith becomes relational. It calls us to understand that God continues to relate with us in love, as revealed in the Gospels. As St. Augustine says, “Today, as our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, let our hearts ascend with Him.”
Call to Action for Catholic Living:
- Let us lift our hearts to heaven, while keeping our feet firmly rooted in the Gospel mission on earth.
- Trust in the ongoing presence of the Risen Christ. He remains with us in the Eucharist, in scripture, and in the Church.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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