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Feast of the Ascension

Reading: Acts 1:1-11

The early disciples, even at that momentous moment when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection, after he had told them about the coming of the Holy Spirit, had their secular concerns. In particular, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Jesus had appeared to them and had been “speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3), but what was of greatest concern to them was the kingdom of man. Jesus answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.” (Acts 1:7).

Then Jesus brought them back to the right focus. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

Today faithful Catholics are concerned about many things, and rightly so.

• Growing apostasy.

• Modernism among hierarchs.

• Advance of the culture of DEATH.

• Pandemics and lockdowns.

• The war in Ukraine, possibly leading to World War III and nuclear holocaust.

These dire developments occupy our time and many good people expend energy in trying to do what they can about them, or at least worrying about them. While that is not wrong, it takes the time and energy that should be expended in expanding the Kingdom of God. It is not about the kingdom of Israel but about the Kingdom of God. It is not about secular concerns but about spiritual realities. It is not about redemption from the tyranny of man but the tyranny of the devil.

God is in control; we are not. He has established the times and seasons by His authority. He is the Lord of history. Yes, we are His instruments for the life of the world. But our focus should be not to change the world but to change the hearts and minds of people, who will then change the world. As such, we are to be witnesses who will proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit.