All things, good or bad, come to an end in some way, shape or form. When it happens, we usually have mixed emotions depending on our part in it and our expectations. That is how the Apostles felt at the end of Christ’s ministry on earth. All of them started out doing something unrelated to becoming future Church leaders who will expand a faith belief for the world. We know from Scripture that in their three years with Jesus prior to His demise as a human they wanted to follow in Jesus footsteps. Following His death, resurrection and visit with them, many initially returned to their former life because they were confused in their future. After spending an additional 40 days with Jesus ending with His Ascension, they reverted back to the desire of spiritual involvement.
Like most of the people with whom I have met, we have been faced with life decisions that open us up to multiple opportunities or options to lead a certain type of life. Based upon our personal situations we usually take a path in which we believe we can succeed. Depending on how it plays out, we either stick with it or start a new search for something else in hopes it will provide what we want.
What I don’t often see as it regards our faith belief are plans for becoming active in the ways of the Lord beyond taking care of our needs and our immediate family if we are married. Most actively practice their faith by praying, reading Scripture and living a Sacramental life within a comfort zone, but rarely reach out beyond that for a multitude of reasons of which fear seems to be the major excuse. Fear of what we don’t know what to do and of being a failure.
Christ’s Ascension makes it clear as to why He spent three years of His life teaching us about God’s way, performing many miracles to take care of those in need, dying on a cross for our sins and being resurrected to reopen the gates of heaven. He specifically outlines four asks, challenges or commands (whatever way you want to view them as) to ensure that the purpose for our creations is to further God’s love for all His creation by preaching the Gospel message to the whole world. They are: Evangelization; Healing; Spirituality; and Community awareness.
Evangelization is about communicating the life and vision of Jesus through one’s personal sharing of why they believe. By reaching out, it allows the person to better understand how they can make better sense of their life, especially in difficult times. It also draws them to become more active so they also can evangelize their belief.
Healing does not mean performing miracles like Jesus (though He said if one’s faith is strong enough each of us can physically and spiritually heal others). It is about being positive with someone who has physical and spiritual needs that may doubt his or her relationship with God. Ensuring a positive attitude has been known help in the healing process.
Spirituality is about experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. The two major goals of the Holy Spirit in continuing on with all that Jesus did while on earth is to grow the Church to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church and to ensure that all the people God created love God and others as Jesus loved us. We follow that by practicing the seven the gifts of the Holy Spirit which bring us sanctification and the 12 Acts or Virtues. By modeling in these areas, we bring truth of the faith in action to others.
Community awareness refers to experiencing the presence of Jesus in our lives with others in how we live our lives. We illustrate how we are positive in each and everything which we are involved. In doing so, we can help others avoid the near occasion of sin by turning to God in all their decisions. A parishioner in one of the two churches at which I serve spends her days in a ministry of reaching out to people during her 30-mile daily walks talking about the positive aspects of Jesus in her life.
Each and every baptized Catholic who is practicing his or her faith can follow these missions of spreading the Gospel message of Jesus on earth. To accomplish any of the above, we need trust God’s promise of being with us through the Holy Spirit and commit to at least one area. It is what Jesus asks of us and for what He created us to continue His work. Just say Yes!
Reading 1: Acts 1: 1-11
Reading 2: Hebrews 9: 24-28; 10: 19-23
Gospel: Luke 24: 46-53
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