WHERE IS JESUS?
Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension
Mk 16:15-20
“To ascend” is “to go up.” “To be assumed” is “to be taken up.” This difference in meaning between the words ascension and assumption intrigues me about the English translation of today’s Gospel. The Gospel today on the Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension says, “So then the Lord Jesus, after He spoke to them, was taken up into heaven….” But the Lord ascended – He was not assumed – into heaven, did He not? He went up to heaven. “To go up to heaven” is for the Lord while “to be assumed to heaven” is for the Blessed Mother. Was the English translation of today’s Gospel accurate? But because I am not yet able to read the Greek original of Mark, I cannot pass any conclusive judgment as regards the faithfulness of the English translation.
Nonetheless, the way the Lord’s ascension is rendered by the English translation of Mark gives us a meaningful view on the Lord’s going up into heaven. The Lord is taken up so that we may take Him in. The “taking up” is the Father’s role while the “taking in” is our task. Jesus was taken up into heaven by the Father so that we may take Jesus into our hearts. Thereby, while Jesus departed from our sight, He is still very much in our midst. That Jesus is no longer seen walking the shores of Galilee does not mean that Jesus is absent. Ascension simply transforms the physical presence of Jesus into spiritual presence. However, this does not mean that Jesus is less present today than when He was physically seen by the apostles. This only means that Jesus is present today in a different way.
Because the Lord’s being taken up into heaven by the Father means that we take Jesus into our hearts, there are three challenges that the Lord’s ascension poses to us. First, we should make our hearts a real heaven for Jesus. Jesus must possess our hearts even more than our hearts possess Jesus. This means that Jesus reigns supreme in all the considerations of our hearts. It is our hearts that follow the will of the Lord rather than the Lord being dictated upon by our hearts. Second, we must allow Jesus to shine not only in but also from our hearts. Like lamps, our hearts must burn not only for Jesus but also with Jesus so that their light that shines to others may be Jesus Himself. To take Jesus into our hearts means to receive Jesus so that we may give Jesus to others. Like a well that never dries, our hearts must always be a reservoir where people may see Jesus, encounter Jesus, and receive Jesus. Third, we have to discover Jesus in the heart of every person we meet. All is given the invitation to take Jesus into their hearts; thus, every person is a possible heaven where Jesus dwells. It is through love and service that we discover Jesus in the heart of every person we meet.
“Men of Galilee,” the two angels asked the apostles, “why are you standing there looking at the sky?” We do not see Jesus by looking at the sky indeed. We see Jesus by looking into hearts, for ascension is Jesus being taken up into heaven by the Father but being taken into heart by each of us.
When you ask my little Pipo (my adopted son), “Where is Jesus?” he does not point to the sky; instead, he points to his heart. “Jesus is in my heart,” he says. He knows better than many of us do, does he not?
Mk 16:15-20
“To ascend” is “to go up.” “To be assumed” is “to be taken up.” This difference in meaning between the words ascension and assumption intrigues me about the English translation of today’s Gospel. The Gospel today on the Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension says, “So then the Lord Jesus, after He spoke to them, was taken up into heaven….” But the Lord ascended – He was not assumed – into heaven, did He not? He went up to heaven. “To go up to heaven” is for the Lord while “to be assumed to heaven” is for the Blessed Mother. Was the English translation of today’s Gospel accurate? But because I am not yet able to read the Greek original of Mark, I cannot pass any conclusive judgment as regards the faithfulness of the English translation.
Nonetheless, the way the Lord’s ascension is rendered by the English translation of Mark gives us a meaningful view on the Lord’s going up into heaven. The Lord is taken up so that we may take Him in. The “taking up” is the Father’s role while the “taking in” is our task. Jesus was taken up into heaven by the Father so that we may take Jesus into our hearts. Thereby, while Jesus departed from our sight, He is still very much in our midst. That Jesus is no longer seen walking the shores of Galilee does not mean that Jesus is absent. Ascension simply transforms the physical presence of Jesus into spiritual presence. However, this does not mean that Jesus is less present today than when He was physically seen by the apostles. This only means that Jesus is present today in a different way.
Because the Lord’s being taken up into heaven by the Father means that we take Jesus into our hearts, there are three challenges that the Lord’s ascension poses to us. First, we should make our hearts a real heaven for Jesus. Jesus must possess our hearts even more than our hearts possess Jesus. This means that Jesus reigns supreme in all the considerations of our hearts. It is our hearts that follow the will of the Lord rather than the Lord being dictated upon by our hearts. Second, we must allow Jesus to shine not only in but also from our hearts. Like lamps, our hearts must burn not only for Jesus but also with Jesus so that their light that shines to others may be Jesus Himself. To take Jesus into our hearts means to receive Jesus so that we may give Jesus to others. Like a well that never dries, our hearts must always be a reservoir where people may see Jesus, encounter Jesus, and receive Jesus. Third, we have to discover Jesus in the heart of every person we meet. All is given the invitation to take Jesus into their hearts; thus, every person is a possible heaven where Jesus dwells. It is through love and service that we discover Jesus in the heart of every person we meet.
“Men of Galilee,” the two angels asked the apostles, “why are you standing there looking at the sky?” We do not see Jesus by looking at the sky indeed. We see Jesus by looking into hearts, for ascension is Jesus being taken up into heaven by the Father but being taken into heart by each of us.
When you ask my little Pipo (my adopted son), “Where is Jesus?” he does not point to the sky; instead, he points to his heart. “Jesus is in my heart,” he says. He knows better than many of us do, does he not?
posted by Fr. Bobby @ 3:00 PM
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