[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

HOPE, INHERITANCE AND THE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER

(A biblical reflection on the Solemnity of THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD, Thursday, June 2, 2011) 

Second Reading: Eph 1:17-23 

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11; Psalms: Ps 47:2-3,6-9, Gospel Reading: Mt 28:16-20

The Scripture Text

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe, according to the working of His great might which He accomplished in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and made Him sit at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and He has put all things under His feet and has made Him the head over all things for the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:17-23 RSV) 

Today, on the Feast (Solemnity) of the Ascension, we are invited to rejoice both in Jesus’ victory over sin and death, and in the glorious life that he has secured for us. We also pray today that we would know three specific aspects of the new life that is ours in Christ: “the hope to which He has called” us, “His glorious inheritance in the saints”, and “the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe” (Eph 1:18-19). 

As Christians, our hope is secured because it rests in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus has overcome sin forever! Now we can live in freedom and peace, no matter what situations we may face. Reconciled to God, we are no longer strangers or outsiders. Every day, we can live in confidence, knowing that God Himself is with us to strengthen and comfort us. 

Our hope is also founded in the inheritance Jesus won for us – an inheritance that tells us we will be with our Father forever, filled with all His splendor and beauty. In His ascension, Jesus has openend the door to heaven for us. Though we are sinners, we have been forgiven and redeemed. We are now fully loved and accepted as God’s children, and we will live with Him forever. 

As we live every day in the hope of our eternal inheritance, however, we can begin to taste these blessings here and now. This is part of the “immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe” (Eph 1:19). Before He returned to His Father, Jesus promised His disciples that anyone who believed in Him would be able to cast out demons, heal the sick, and perform signs and wonders in His name: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover  (Mk 16:17-18). How? By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is in our hearts. He is constantly inviting us to yield to Him, and He empowers us to live in the victory of the resurrection. No challenge is too great for a child of God! 

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, we rejoice today in Your ascension to the Father’s right hand. We thank You for offering us a share in Your heavenly life. By Your Spirit, help us to lay hold of our inheritance in You – the hope, the inheritance, and the power that are the right of every child of God. Amen.

A Christian Pilgrim

HOPE, INHERITANCE AND THE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER

(A biblical reflection on the Solemnity of THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD, Thursday, June 2, 2011) 

Second Reading: Eph 1:17-23 

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11; Psalms: Ps 47:2-3,6-9, Gospel Reading: Mt 28:16-20

The Scripture Text

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe, according to the working of His great might which He accomplished in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and made Him sit at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and He has put all things under His feet and has made Him the head over all things for the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:17-23 RSV) 

Today, on the Feast (Solemnity) of the Ascension, we are invited to rejoice both in Jesus’ victory over sin and death, and in the glorious life that he has secured for us. We also pray today that we would know three specific aspects of the new life that is ours in Christ: “the hope to which He has called” us, “His glorious inheritance in the saints”, and “the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe” (Eph 1:18-19). 

As Christians, our hope is secured because it rests in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus has overcome sin forever! Now we can live in freedom and peace, no matter what situations we may face. Reconciled to God, we are no longer strangers or outsiders. Every day, we can live in confidence, knowing that God Himself is with us to strengthen and comfort us. 

Our hope is also founded in the inheritance Jesus won for us – an inheritance that tells us we will be with our Father forever, filled with all His splendor and beauty. In His ascension, Jesus has openend the door to heaven for us. Though we are sinners, we have been forgiven and redeemed. We are now fully loved and accepted as God’s children, and we will live with Him forever. 

As we live every day in the hope of our eternal inheritance, however, we can begin to taste these blessings here and now. This is part of the “immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe” (Eph 1:19). Before He returned to His Father, Jesus promised His disciples that anyone who believed in Him would be able to cast out demons, heal the sick, and perform signs and wonders in His name: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover  (Mk 16:17-18). How? By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is in our hearts. He is constantly inviting us to yield to Him, and He empowers us to live in the victory of the resurrection. No challenge is too great for a child of God! 

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, we rejoice today in Your ascension to the Father’s right hand. We thank You for offering us a share in Your heavenly life. By Your Spirit, help us to lay hold of our inheritance in You – the hope, the inheritance, and the power that are the right of every child of God. Amen.

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

A FINAL PRAYER OF JESUS BEFORE HIS PASSION AND DEATH

A biblical reflection on the SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, June 5, 2011) 

Gospel Reading: Jn 17:1-11a 

First Reading: Acts 1:12-14; Psalms: Ps 27:1,4,7-8, Second Reading: 1Pet 4:13-16 

The Scripture Text

When Jesus has spoken these words, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son that the Son may glorify Thee, since Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom Thou has given Him. And this is eternal life, that they know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. ‘I glorified Thee on earth, having accomplished the work which Thou gavest Me to do; and now, Father, glorify Thou Me in Thy own presence with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was made.”

“I have manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to Me, and they have kept Thy word. Now they know that everything that Thou hast given Me is from Thee; for I have given them the words which Thou gavest Me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from Thee; and they have believed that Thou didst send Me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom Thou hast given me, for they are Thine; all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to Thee.” (Jn 17:1-11a RSV) 

Just before His passion and death on the cross, Jesus offered a final prayer to His Father in heaven. The Gospel of John devotes an entire chapter (Jn 17:1-26) to this prayer, which has come to be known as Jesus’ high priestly prayer of intercession. In this prayer, Jesus prayed for all believers, both present and future. What a privilege it is, 2.000 years later, to read these words and know that Jesus had us in mind as He prayed! By praying through this prayer ourselves, we gain insight both into how Jesus prayed and how He related to His heavenly Father. 

Jesus told His Father that He had now accomplished the work He was sent to do, and that He had made God’s name and character known to those for whom He was sent (Jn 17:6). “Now they know that everything that Thou hast given Me is from Thee; for I have given them the words which Thou gavest Me” (Jn 17:7-8). Jesus’ work on earth was to manifest His Father’s character to His disciples and all believers that were to follow. 

In all four gospels, we constantly read how Jesus spoke about His Father. From Jesus, we come to know the all-loving, all-merciful Father who welcomes us back to Him like the father of the prodigal son (see Lk 15:11-32). Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent” (Jn 17:3). Even now, in His last moments on earth, Jesus’ primary concern remained that we would come to know our heavenly Father. 

God wanted us to know Him so intimately that He sent His Son to become one of us! From Jesus we learn that our Father is trustworthy, always there for us. He is always ready to welcome us back to Him, even when we have turned our backs on Him. He soothes us, heals us, and beckons us to follow Him. Though He is infinitely greater than us, He invites us in His heart, because His love for us is eternal! He longs for our souls to be reunited with Him. 

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing Your Father to us. Without You, we would be utterly lost and without hope. Help us, Lord, Your sisters and brothers, to reveal the Father to those we come into contact with every day. You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.