Looking up into the heaven
Acts 1:1-11; Ep 1:17-23; Lk 24:46-53
Dear brothers and sisters,
When I have free time I usually read books or go for a walk if the weather is nice because next to the Cathedral there is a big park. In the Spring season, especially in the Summer I usually walk around the park. In the park there are many trees that make the park nice and also create a tranquil atmosphere. One day while I was walking I looked at the trees and recognized that every top of each tree was looking into the sky even though some trees were bending at the trunk like they were ready to fall down their tops looked up into the sky. Through these images of the trees, I would like to link to the word of God in the liturgy today.
Every year, after the sixth Sunday of Easter the Church solemnly celebrates the Ascension of the Lord and through the three readings we acknowledge that the Disciples were standing and looking up in the sky while Jesus had been taken up into the heaven. An image of the disciples looking up into the heaven helps me to acknowledge that they were not only looking at Jesus but they were also looking forward towards heaven too. Moreover, the word ‘looking up’ helps me to remember that one day Jesus invited people to look forward to the things in heaven not the things on earth: ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.’ (Matt. 6:19-21b)
How can we look forward to the things in heaven? With the trees their tops naturally looks up into the sky to receive the sun shine and the rain falling. But for us we have a choice and have to decide because God gives us freedom. Look back to the Bible we acknowledge that our ancestors had different choices. Some of them chose the things on earth such as Adam and Eve and King Saul and also Judas Iscariot. On the other hand, many of them chose the things in heaven such as Abraham, Moses and the Disciples.
How could they choose the things in heaven? For me, they listened to God and did what God told them to do. They also asked God to protect them and to guide them to go on the right path. In other words, they followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit as St. Paul said in the second reading today: ‘May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to the full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit’
In addition, while they were living on earth they looked forward into heaven. They intended to see God and to imitate Jesus as the saints, particularly the disciples. They were happy to witness their faith to God even though they met many difficulties in their lives as Jesus said to them in the Gospel today: ‘you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’ Indeed, they were happy to do this without worrying about the dead.
Brothers and sisters, this year is the year of faith may God help us to show our faith to God and people as prophets and the disciples did so that after this life we will be lifted up in to heaven and share happiness with Mary Jesus and the saints in God’s glory. If we want to be there we should imitate them and also look at images of the trees and the Disciples to look up into the heaven. May God help us and also bless us always. Amen.
Fr. Peter Thanh Ha
Acts 1:1-11; Ep 1:17-23; Lk 24:46-53
Dear brothers and sisters,
When I have free time I usually read books or go for a walk if the weather is nice because next to the Cathedral there is a big park. In the Spring season, especially in the Summer I usually walk around the park. In the park there are many trees that make the park nice and also create a tranquil atmosphere. One day while I was walking I looked at the trees and recognized that every top of each tree was looking into the sky even though some trees were bending at the trunk like they were ready to fall down their tops looked up into the sky. Through these images of the trees, I would like to link to the word of God in the liturgy today.
Every year, after the sixth Sunday of Easter the Church solemnly celebrates the Ascension of the Lord and through the three readings we acknowledge that the Disciples were standing and looking up in the sky while Jesus had been taken up into the heaven. An image of the disciples looking up into the heaven helps me to acknowledge that they were not only looking at Jesus but they were also looking forward towards heaven too. Moreover, the word ‘looking up’ helps me to remember that one day Jesus invited people to look forward to the things in heaven not the things on earth: ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.’ (Matt. 6:19-21b)
How can we look forward to the things in heaven? With the trees their tops naturally looks up into the sky to receive the sun shine and the rain falling. But for us we have a choice and have to decide because God gives us freedom. Look back to the Bible we acknowledge that our ancestors had different choices. Some of them chose the things on earth such as Adam and Eve and King Saul and also Judas Iscariot. On the other hand, many of them chose the things in heaven such as Abraham, Moses and the Disciples.
How could they choose the things in heaven? For me, they listened to God and did what God told them to do. They also asked God to protect them and to guide them to go on the right path. In other words, they followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit as St. Paul said in the second reading today: ‘May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to the full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit’
In addition, while they were living on earth they looked forward into heaven. They intended to see God and to imitate Jesus as the saints, particularly the disciples. They were happy to witness their faith to God even though they met many difficulties in their lives as Jesus said to them in the Gospel today: ‘you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’ Indeed, they were happy to do this without worrying about the dead.
Brothers and sisters, this year is the year of faith may God help us to show our faith to God and people as prophets and the disciples did so that after this life we will be lifted up in to heaven and share happiness with Mary Jesus and the saints in God’s glory. If we want to be there we should imitate them and also look at images of the trees and the Disciples to look up into the heaven. May God help us and also bless us always. Amen.
Fr. Peter Thanh Ha