Alberic Jacovone OSB
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YEAR B
ASCENSION OF THE LORD - 28.5.06
Acts 1,1-11; Eph 4,1-13; Mk 16,15-20
The Bible & its three ‘homes’
The meaning of Jesus’ Ascension.
On this Sunday we read the final 6 verses of Mark & biblical scholars warn
us that they do not belong to Mark, but are a later addition. Mark’s Gospel
ends at Jesus’ tomb, where the women are terrified & -‘frightened’-,
told no one..
There
are in Mark 12 last additional verses, which seem to be borrowed by other
sources, that are evidently also a primitive account, and try to overcome the
abruptness with which Mark’s Gospel ends. These additional verses are in fact
a theological statement whereby, from the earliest days, Jesus’ followers (the
word ‘Apostle’ means ‘one who is sent’), promoted a conviction that the
‘Lord Jesus’ -though no longer physically present- was working with them in
preaching the ‘Good News’, & confirming their conviction with great
signs (miracles) that accompanied it. In today’s
Mass, we reflect on the words of the Apostles’ Creed: “He died &
descended into hell; He rose & ascended into heaven He sits at the
Father’s right hand & will come again to judge the living & the
dead”. And we reflect on the Preface’s words: Today our Lord, conqueror of
sin & death, ascended to Heaven... Christ, mediator between God & men,
judge of the world & Lord of all, has passed beyond our sight, not to
abandon us , but to be our hope. He is the beginning & the head of the
Church, where he has gone, we hope to follow”. Today’s Gospel spells out,
Mark’s central conviction, namely that Jesus sent the apostles in their time
& now he sends us to the people of our time, to continue his work &
mission on earth, to proclaim the ‘Good News’ & become literally
Jesus’ lips & voice: we hand over to people Jesus’ mind & teaching,
his love & forgiveness. Without this, we are no followers of Christ.
Making our abode with Jesus.
As we read the final page of Mark, we are challenged to adopt a new conviction,
as if saying: these are the facts about Jesus such is his ‘Good News’; now
you must believe it or not, take it or leave it. If you accept to believe in
Him, you will be transformed & your life will be changed. But you must let
go of your human mind set & replace it with the way of thinking, living
& loving of Jesus himself. Then you will allow Jesus to live in you, as you
live in him; & you will allow his word to abide in you as your word abides
in him. The logic of this conviction has been variously lived out by different
cultures, different times, & different saints. Across the centuries artists
have visualized heaven as a place where God abides with his people. As Risen
Lord, Jesus is depicted as one who
went into the abode of the dead, smashing its ‘gates & chains’, &
brought redemption to Adam & Eve & to all the just people of ancient
history. The Christian belief that as Church we are God’s people, God’s home
& Body of Christ has led artists to consider the very building of a
cathedral, catacomb or Church as the ‘second home’. We can see on the floor
of ancient Churches the special stone that closes the trap-door opening into the
underground section of the church, where the bodies of prominent people lay
buried. The stone covering the trapdoor had a Latin inscription on it, saying:
In this second home rest those who await to be admitted to their third home in
heaven: “Domus secunda donec tertia”. We are familiar with Jesus’ own talk
about his Fathers’ home where there are many rooms: he has gone ahead to
prepare a place for us, & in his home, God will be all in all. Our vision of
life has always included 3 homes: the home we build for our family, the Church
as God’s home where we live & lay buried & God’s home in heaven. The
communion of Saints suggests an on-going sharing of life.
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