Reflection for Sunday 17th May, 2026
The Ascension of the Lord - Solemnity
A New Mission
On the Mount of the Ascension the apostles were told not to be looking up to the skies but to look out to the world as a field of mission (Acts 1:11). “Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time”.
The mission extends to our time, and so does the promise of God’s support. God is not just up there, but God is with us and in us. As Pope Francis put it, each one of us not only has a mission but each one is a mission to bring God’s love and compassion to others. “I have no hands now but yours” (St. Teresa of Avila).
Jesus promised, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”Jesus promised, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” Next week we will celebrate Pentecost. See how the power of the Spirit changed the apostles … from ignorance to belief, from fear to courage, from despondency to joy.
A New Hope
The Ascension opens up the doors of heaven for us. This is beautifully expressed in the Preface for the Feast. “He ascended, not to distance himself from our lowly state but that we, his members, might be confident of following him where he, our Head and Founder, has gone.”
The renowned scientist, Stephen Hawkins, described human life as “chemical scum on an average-sized planet, orbiting around a very average-sized star, in the outer suburb of one of a million galaxies.” Chemical scum! No, thank you! Give me our beautiful, meaningful and hope-filled Christian religion any day. Planets and galaxies suggest a big story. But religion
Trust in the Holy Spirit
At the time of his Ascension, when Jesus told the apostles, “You will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but to the ends of the earth”, they must have felt totally perplexed. They were told to gather together in prayer in Jerusalem. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and other disciples accompanied them to prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit. And the rest as we say is history.
For all of us, this must be a week of intense prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to come and renew the heart of the Church and thereby renew the face of the earth.
Prayer
With Saint Paul we pray. “May God enlighten the eyes of our minds so that we can see what hope his call holds for us, what rich graces he has promised the saints will inherit, and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers.” (Eph. 1:18)
