Solemnity of The Ascension - Cycle B

1st Reading: Acts 1:1-11

Prologue
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[1] In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and
teach, [2] until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment
through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. [3] To them he pre-
sented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during
forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. [4] And while staying with them
he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the
Father, which, he said, "you heard from me, [5] for John baptized with water, but
before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

The Ascension
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[6] So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time
restore the kingdom of Israel?" [7] He said to them, "It is not for you to know times
or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. [8] But you shall
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my wit-
nesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." [9]
And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud
took him out of their sight. [10] And while they were gazing into heaven as he went,
behold, two men stood by them in white robes, [11] and said, "Men of Galilee, why
do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into
heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

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Commentary:

1-5. St Luke is the only New Testament author to begin his book with a prologue,
in the style of secular historians. The main aim of this preface is to convey to the
reader the profoundly religious character of the book which he is holding in his
hands. It is a work which will give an account of events marking the fulfillment of
the promises made by the God of Israel the Creator and Savior of the world. Under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, into his book St Luke weaves quotations from the
Psalms, Isaiah, Amos and Joel; it both reflects the Old Testament and interprets
it in the light of its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

The prologue refers to St Luke's Gospel as a "first book". It mentions the last
events of our Lord's life on earth--the appearances of the risen Christ and his
ascension into heaven--and links them up with the 0account which is now begin-
ning.

St Luke's aim is to describe the origins and the early growth of this Christianity,
of which the main protagonist of this book, the Holy Spirit, has been the cause.
Yet this is not simply an historical record: the Acts of the Apostles, St Jerome
explains, "seems to be a straightforward historical account of the early years of
the nascent Church. But if we bear in mind it is written by Luke the physician,
who is praised in the Gospel (cf. 2 Cor 8: 18), we will realize that everything he
says is medicine for the ailing soul" ("Epistle" 53, 9).

The spiritual dimension of this book, which is one of a piece with the Third Gospel,
nourished the soul of the first generations of Christians, providing them with a
chronicle of God's faithful and loving support of the new Israel. "This book", St
John Chrysostom writes at the start of his great commentary, "will profit us no
less than the Gospels, so replete is it with Christian wisdom and sound doctrine.
It offers an account of the numerous miracles worked by the Holy Spirit. It
contains the fulfillment of the prophecies of Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospel;
we can observe in the very facts the bright evidence of Truth which shines in them,
and the mighty change which is taking place in the Apostles: they become perfect
men, extraordinary men, now that the Holy Spirit has come upon them. All Christ's
promises and predictions--He who believes in me will do these and even greater
works, you will be dragged before tribunals and kings and beaten in the synagogues,
and will suffer grievous things, and yet you will overcome your persecutors and
executioners and will bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth--all this, how it
came to pass, may be seen in this admirable book. Here you will see the Apostles
speeding their way overland and sea as if on wings. These Galileans, once so
timorous and obtuse, we find suddenly changed into new men, despising wealth
and honor, raised above passion and concupiscence" ("Hom. on Acts", 1).

St Luke dedicates this book to Theophilus--as he did his Gospel. The dedication
suggests that Theophilus was an educated Christian, of an upper-class back-
ground, but he may be a fictitious person symbolizing "the beloved of God",
which is what the name means. It also may imply that Acts was written quite
soon after the third Gospel.

1. "To do and teach": these words very concisely sum up the work of Jesus
Christ, reported in the Gospels. They describe the way in which God's saving
Revelation operates: God lovingly announces and reveals himself in the course
of human history through his actions and through his words. "The economy of
Revelation is realized by deeds and words, which are intrinsically bound up with
each other", Vatican II teaches. "As a result, the works performed by God in the
history of salvation show forth and bear out the doctrine and realities signified by
the words; the words, for their part, proclaim the works, and bring to light the
mystery they contain. The most intimate truth which this revelation gives us
about God and the salvation of man shines forth in Christ, who is himself both
the mediator and the sum total of Revelation" ("Dei Verbum", 2).

The Lord "proclaimed the kingdom of the Father both by the testimony of his life
and by the power of his word" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 35). He did not limit
himself to speech, to being simply the Teacher whose words opened man's minds
to the truth. He was, above all, the Redeemer, able to save fallen man through the
divine efficacy of each and every moment of his life on earth.

"Our Lord took on all our weaknesses, which proceed from sin--with the exception
of sin itself. He experienced hunger and thirst, sleep and fatigue, sadness and
tears. He suffered in every possible way, even the supreme suffering of death. No
one could be freed from the bonds of sinfulness had he who alone was totally
innocent not been ready to die at the hands of impious men. Therefore, our Savior,
the Son of God, has left all those who believe in him an effective source of aid,
and also an example. The first they obtain by being reborn through grace, the
second by imitating his life" (St Leo the Great, "Twelfth Homily on the Passion").

Jesus' redemptive action--his miracles, his life of work, and the mystery of his
death, resurrection and ascension, whose depth and meaning only faith can
plumb--also constitute a simple and powerful stimulus for our everyday conduct.
Faith should always be accompanied by works, by deeds, that is, our humble
and necessary cooperation with God's saving plans.

"Don't forget that doing must come before teaching. 'Coepit facere et docere', the
holy Scripture says of Jesus Christ: 'He began to do and to teach. ' "First deeds:
so that you and I might learn" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 342).

3. This verse recalls the account in Luke 24:13-43 of the appearances of the risen
Jesus to the disciples of Emmaus and to the Apostles in the Cenacle. It stresses
the figure of forty days. This number may have a literal meaning and also a deeper
meaning. In Sacred Scripture periods of forty days or forty years have a clearly
salvific meaning: they are periods during which God prepares or effects important
stages in his plans. The great flood lasted forty days (Gen 7:17); the Israelites
journeyed in the wilderness for forty years on their way to the promised land (Ps
95:10); Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai to receive God's revelation of the
Covenant (Ex 24:18); on the strength of the bread sent by God Elisha walked forty
days and forty nights to reach his destination (1 Kings 19:8); and our Lord fasted
in the wilderness for forty days in preparation for his public life (Mt 4:2).

5. "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit": this book has been well described
as the "Gospel of the Holy Spirit". "There is hardly a page in the Acts of the
Apostles where we fail to read about the Spirit and the action by which he guides,
directs and enlivens the life and work of the early Christian community. It is he
who inspires the preaching of St Peter (cf. Acts 4:8), who strengthens the faith
of the disciples (cf. Acts 4:31), who confirms with his presence the calling of the
Gentiles (cf. Acts 10:44-47), who sends Saul and Barnabas to distant lands,
where they will open new paths for the teaching of Jesus (cf. Acts 13:2-4). In a
word, his presence and doctrine are everywhere" (St. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing
By", 127).

6-8. The Apostles' question shows that they are still thinking in terms of earthly
restoration of the Davidic dynasty. It would seem that for them --as for many
Jews of their time--eschatological hope in the Kingdom extended no further than
expectation of world-embracing Jewish hegemony.

"It seems to me", St John Chrysostom comments, "that they had not any clear
notion of the nature of the Kingdom, for the Spirit had not yet instructed them.
Notice that they do not ask when it shall come but 'Will you at this time restore
the Kingdom to Israel?', as if the Kingdom were something that lay in the past.
This question shows that they were still attracted by earthly things, though less
than they had been" ("Hom. on Acts", 2).

Our Lord gives an excellent and encouraging reply, patiently telling them that the
Kingdom is mysterious in character, that it comes when one least expects, and
that they need the help of the Holy Spirit to be able to grasp the teaching they
have received. Jesus does not complain about their obtuseness; he simply cor-
rects their ideas and instructs them.

8. The outline of Acts is given here: the author plans to tell the story of the growth
of the Church, beginning in Jerusalem and spreading through Judea and Samaria
to the ends of the earth. This is the geographical structure of St Luke's account.
In the Third Gospel Jerusalem was the destination point of Jesus' public life (which
began in Galilee); here it is the departure point.

The Apostles' mission extends to the whole world. Underlying this verse we can
see not so much a "geographical" dimension as the universalist aspirations of
the Old Testament, articulated by Isaiah: "It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of
the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow
to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain
of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and
that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word
of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Is 2:2-3).

9. Jesus' life on earth did not end with his death on the Cross but with his ascen-
sion into heaven. The ascension, reported here, is the last event, the last mystery
of our Lord's life on earth (cf. also 24:50-53)--and also it concerns the origins of the
Church. The ascension scene takes place, so to speak, between heaven and
earth. "Why did a cloud take him out of the Apostles' sight?", St John Chrysostom
asks. "The cloud was a sure sign that Jesus had already entered heaven; it was
not a whirlwind or a chariot of fire, as in the case of the prophet Elijah (cf. 2 Kings
2: l 1), but a cloud, which was a symbol of heaven itself" ("Hom. on Acts", 2). A
cloud features in theophanies--manifestations of God--in both the Old Testament
(cf. Ex 13:22) and the New (cf. Lk 9:34f).

Our Lord's ascension is one of the actions by which Jesus redeems us from
sin and gives us the new life of grace. It is a redemptive mystery "What we have
already taught of the mystery of his death and resurrection the faithful should
deem not less true of his ascension. For although we owe our redemption and
salvation to the passion of Christ, whose merits opened heaven to the just, yet
his ascension is not only proposed to us as a model, which teaches us to look
on high and ascend in spirit into heaven, but it also imparts to us a divine virtue
which enables us to accomplish what it teaches" ("St Pius V Catechism" I, 7,
9).

Our Lord's going up into heaven is not simply something which stirs us to lift up
our hearts--as we are invited to do at the preface of the Mass, to seek and love
the "things that are above" (cf. Col 3:1-2); along with the other mysteries of his
life, death and resurrection, Christ's ascension saves us. "Today we are not only
made possessors of paradise", St Leo says, "but we have ascended with Christ,
mystically but really, into the highest heaven, and through Christ we have ob-
tained a more ineffable grace than that which we lost through the devil's envy"
("First Homily on the Ascension").

The ascension is the climax of Christ's exaltation, which was achieved in the first
instance by his resurrection and which--along with his passion and death--const-
itutes the paschal mystery. The Second Vatican Council expresses this as
follows: "Christ our Lord redeemed mankind and gave perfect glory to God [...].
principally by the paschal mystery of his blessed passion, resurrection from the
dead, and glorious ascension" ("Sacrosanctum Concilium", 5; cf. "Dei Verbum",
19).

Theology has suggested reasons why it was very appropriate for the glorified Lord
to go up into heaven to be "seated at the right hand of the Father." "First of all,
he ascended because the glorious kingdom of the highest heavens, not the ob-
scure abode of this earth, presented a suitable dwelling place for him whose body,
rising from the tomb, was clothed with the glory of immortality. He ascended,
however, not only to possess the throne of glory and the kingdom which he had
merited by his blood, but also to attend to whatever regards our salvation. Again,
he ascended to prove thereby that his kingdom is not of this world" ("St Pius V
Catechism", I, 7, 5; cf. "Summa Theologiae", III, q. 57, a. 6).

The ascension marks the point when the celestial world celebrates the victory
and glorification of Christ: "It is fitting that the sacred humanity of Christ should
receive the homage, praise and adoration of all the hierarchies of the Angels and
of all the legions of the blessed in heaven" (J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", second
glorious mystery).

11. The angels are referring to the Parousia--our Lord's second coming, when he
will judge the living and the dead. "They said to them, What are you doing here,
looking into heaven? These words are full of solicitude, but they do not proclaim
the second coming of the Savior as imminent. The angels simply assert what is
most important, that is, that Jesus Christ will come again and the confidence
with which we should await his return" (St John Chrysostom, "Hom. on Acts",
2).

We know for a certainty that Christ will come again at the end of time. We con-
fess this in the Creed as part of our faith. However, we know "neither the day nor
the hour" (Mt 25: 13) of his coming. We do not need to know it. Christ is always
imminent. We must always be on the watch, that is, we should busy ourselves
in the service of God and of others, which is where our sanctification lies.

2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23

Thanksgiving. The Supremacy of Christ (Continuation)
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[17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit
of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, [18] having the eyes of your
hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called
you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what
is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the
working of his great might [20] which he accomplished in Christ when he raised
im from the dead and made him sit at the right hand in the heavenly places, [2I]
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; [22] and
he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things
for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

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Commentary:

17. The God whom St Paul addresses is "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ", that
is, the God who has revealed himself through Christ and to whom Jesus himself,
as man, prays and asks for help (cf. Lk 22:42). The same God as was described
in the Old Testament as "the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob" is now de-
fined as "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ". He is the personal God recognized
by his relationship with Christ, his Son, who as mediator of the New Covenant ob-
tains from God the Father everything he asks for. This will be our own experience
too if we are united to Christ, for he promised that "if you ask anything of the
Father, he will give it to you in my name" (Jn 16:23; 15:16).

The founder of Opus Dei reminds us that "Jesus is the way, the mediator. In him
are all things; outside of him is nothing. In Christ, taught by him, we dare to call
Almighty God 'our Father': he who created heaven and earth is a loving Father"
("Christ Is Passing By", 91).

The Apostle also calls God "the Father of glory". The glory of God means his
greatness, his power, the infinite richness of his personality, which when it is
revealed inspires man with awe. Already, in the history of Israel, God revealed
himself through his saving actions in favor of his people. Asking God to glorify his
name is the same as asking him to show himself as our Savior and to give us his
gifts. But the greatest manifestation of God's glory, of his power, was the raising
of Jesus from the dead, and the raising, with him, of the Christian (cf. Rom 6:4;
1 Cor 6:14). In this passage St Paul asks God "the Father of glory" to grant
Christians supernatural wisdom to recognize the greatness of the blessings he
has given them through his Son; that is, to acknowledge that he is their Father
and the origin of glory. By asking for a "spirit of wisdom and revelation" the
Apostle is seeking special gifts--on the one hand, wisdom, that gift of the Holy
Spirit which enables one to penetrate the mystery of God: "Who has learned thy
counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom and sent thy holy Spirit from on high?"
(Wis 9:17). This wisdom which the Church has been given (cf. Eph l:8) can be
communicated to Christians in a special way, as a special gift or charism of the
Holy Spirit. The Apostle also asks God to give them a spirit "of revelation", that
is, the grace of personal revelations, such as he himself (cf. 1 Cor 14:6) and
other Christians (cf. 1 Cor 14:26) received. It is not a matter of revelation or
recognition of new truths, but rather of special light from the Holy Spirit so as
to have a deeper appreciation of the truth of faith, or of the will of God in a
particular situation.

18-19. Along with this deeper knowledge of God, St Paul asks that Christians
be given a fuller and livelier hope, because God and hope are inseparable. He
recognizes the faith and charity of the faithful to whom he is writing (cf. 1:15);
now he wants hope to shine more brightly for them; he wants God to enlighten
their minds and make them realize the consequences of their election, their
calling, to be members of the holy people of God, the Church. Hope, therefore,
is a gift from God. "Hope is a supernatural virtue, infused by God into our soul,
by which we desire and expect eternal life, promised by God to his servants,
and the means necessary to obtain it" ("St Pius X Catechism", 893).

The ground for hope lies in God's love and power which have been manifested in
the resurrection of Christ. This same power is at work in the Christian. Because
God's plan for our salvation is an eternal one, he who has called us will lead us
to an immortal life in heaven. The fact that God's power is at work in us (cf. Rom
5:5) does not mean that we encounter no difficulties. Monsignor Escriva reminds
us that "as we fight this battle, which will last until the day we die, we cannot
exclude the possibility that enemies both within and without may attack with
violent force. As if that were not enough, you may at times be assailed by the
memory of your own past errors, which may have been very many. I tell you now,
in God's name: do not despair. Should this happen (it need not happen; nor will it
usually happen), then turn it into another motive for uniting yourself more closely
to the Lord, for he has chosen you as his child and he will not abandon you. He
has allowed this trial to befall you so as to have you love him the more and dis-
cover even more clearly his constant protection and love" ("Friends of God", 214).

20-21. The Apostle is in awe at the marvels which God's power has worked in
Jesus Christ. He sees Christ as the source and model of our hope. "For, just as
Christ's life is the model and exemplar of our holiness, so is the glory and exal-
tation of Christ the form and exemplar of our glory and exaltation" (St Thomas
Aquinas, "Commentary on Eph, ad. Ioc".).

As elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Acts 7:56; Heb 1:3; 1 Pet 3:22), the fact
that the risen Christ is seated "at the right hand" of the Father means that he
shares in God's kingly authority. The Apostle is using a comparison with which
people of his time were very familiar -- that of the emperor seated on his throne.
The throne has always been the symbol of supreme authority and power. Thus,
the "St Pius V Catechism" explains that being seated at the right hand "does
not imply position or posture of body, but expresses the firm and permanent
possession of royal and supreme power and glory, which he received from the
Father" (I, 7, 3).

Christ's pre-eminence is absolute: he is Lord of all creation, material as well
as spiritual, earthly as well as heavenly. "All rule and authority and power and
dominion": this refers to the angelic spirits (cf. note on Eph 3:10), whom the false
preachers were presenting as superior to Christ. St Paul argues against them:
Jesus Christ at his resurrection was raised by God above all created beings.

22-23. In previous letters St Paul described the Church as a body (cf. Rom 12:4f;
1 Cor 12:12ff). Here, and in Colossians 1:18, he pursues this comparison and
says that it is the body of Christ, and that Christ is its head. He returns to this
teaching elsewhere in the Captivity Epistles (cf. Col 1:18; Eph 5:23f). The image
of body and head highlights the life-giving and salvific influence of Christ on the
Church, and at the same time emphasizes his supremacy over the Church (cf.
St. Thomas Aquinas, "Commentary on Eph, ad loc.", and also the note on Col
1:18). This fact fills Christians with joy: by joining the Church through Baptism,
they have become truly members of our Lord's body. "No, it is not pride", Paul
VI says, " nor arrogance nor obstinacy nor stupidity nor folly that makes us so
sure of being living, genuine members of Christ's body, the authentic heirs of
his Gospel" ("Ecclesiam Suam", 33).

This image also reveals Christ's close union with his Church and his deep love
for her: "he loved her so much", St John of Avila observes, "that although what
normally happens is that a person raises his arm to take a blow and protect his
head, this blessed Lord, who is the head, put himself forward to receive the blow
of divine justice, and died on the Cross to give life to his body, that is, us. And
after giving us life, through penance and the sacraments, he endows us, defends
and keeps us as something so very much his own, that he is not content with
calling us his servants, friends, brethren or children: the better to show his love
and render us honor, he gives us his name. For, by means of this ineffable union
of Christ the head with the Church his body, he and we are together called 'Christ"'
("Audi, Filia", chap. 84).

The Apostle also describes the Church, the body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:12) as
his "fullness" (cf. note on Col 1:19). What he means is that, through the Church,
Christ becomes present in and fills the entire universe and extends to it the fruits
of his redemptive activity. By being the vehicle which Christ uses to distribute his
grace to all, the Church is different from the Israel of the Old Testament: it is not
confined to a particular geographical location.

Because the Church has limitless grace, its call is addressed to all mankind: all
men are invited to attain salvation in Christ. "For many centuries now, the Church
has been spread throughout the world," St. Escriva comments, "and it numbers
persons of all races and walks of life. But the universality of the Church does not
depend on its geographical extension, even though that is a visible sign and a
motive of credibility. The Church was catholic already at Pentecost; it was born
catholic from the wounded heart of Jesus, as a fire which the Holy Spirit enkindles
[...]. 'We call it catholic', writes St Cyril, 'not only because it is spread throughout
the whole world, from one extreme to the other, but because in a universal way
and without defect it teaches all the dogmas which men ought to know, of both
the visible and the invisible, the celestial and the earthly. Likewise, because it
draws to true worship all types of men, those who govern and those who are ruled,
the learned and the ignorant. And finally, because it cures and makes healthy all
kinds of sins, whether of the soul or of the body, possessing in addition--by
whatever name it may be called--all the forms of virtue, in deeds and in words and
in every kind of spiritual gift' ("Catechesis", 18, 23)" ("In Love with the Church", 9).

All grace reaches the Church through Christ. The Second Vatican Council reminds
us: "He continually endows his body, that is, the Church, with gifts of ministries
through which, by his power, we serve each other unto salvation so that, carrying
out the truth in love, we may through all things grow into him who is our head"
("Lumen Gentium", 7). This is why St Paul calls the Church the "body" of Christ;
and it is in this sense that it is the "fullness" ("pleroma") of Christ--not because it
in any way fills out or completes Christ but because it is filled with Christ, full of
Christ, forming a single body with him, a singlespiritual organism, whose unifying
and life-giving principle is Christ, its head. This demonstrates Christ's absolute
supremacy; his unifying and life-giving influence extends from God to Christ, from
Christ to the Church, and from the Church to all men. It is he in fact who fills
all in all (cf. Eph 4:10; Col 1:17-19; 2:9f).

The fact that the Church is the body of Christ is a further reason why we should
love it and serve it. As Pope Pius XII wrote: "To ensure that this genuine and
whole-hearted love will reign in our hearts and grow every day, we must accustom
ourselves to see Christ himself in the Church. For it is indeed Christ who lives in
the Church, and through her teaches, governs and sanctifies; and it is also Christ
who manifests himself in manifold disguise in the various members of his society"
("Mystici Corporis", 43).

Alternate 2nd Reading: Ephesians 4:1-13

A Call to Unity
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[1] I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, [2] with all lowliness and meekness, with patience,
forbearing one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to
the one hope that belongs to your call, [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6]
one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.

[7] But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
[8] Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men."

[9] (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he who also descen-
ded into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He who descended is he who also
ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) [11] And his
gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
some pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipment of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for building up the body Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity
of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; [14] so that we may no longer
be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.

[15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him
who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit to-
gether by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly,
makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.

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Commentary:

1-16. The second part of the letter points out certain practical consequences of
the teaching given earlier. The underlying theme of the previous chapters was the
revelation of the "mystery" of Christ--the calling of all men, Gentiles and Jews, to
form a single people, the Church. The second part of the letter begins with an ap-
peal to maintain the unity of the Church in the face of factors making for division--
internal discord (vv. 1-3), misuse of the different gifts or charisms with which Christ
endows individuals (v. 7), and the danger of being led astray by heretical ideas (v.
14). Against this, St Paul teaches that the Church's unity is grounded on the one-
ness of God (vv. 4-6), and that Christ acts with full authority in the building up of
his body, through its various ministries (vv. 8-13) and through its members' soli-
darity (vv. 14-16).

1. The exhortation begins by stating a general principle: a Christian's conduct
should be consistent with the calling he has received from God.

Enormous consequences flow from the fact of being called to form part of the
Church through Baptism: "Being members of a holy nation," St. Escriva says,
"all the faithful have received a call to holiness, and they must strive to respond
to grace and to be personally holy [. . .]. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who founds the
holy Church, expects the members of this people to strive continually to acquire
holiness. Not all respond loyally to his call. And in the spouse of Christ there are
seen, at one and the same time, both the marvel of the way of salvation and the
shortcomings of those who take up that way" ("In Love with the Church", 5-6).

Speaking about incorporation into the Church, which is the way of salvation,
Vatican II exhorts Catholics to "remember that their exalted condition results,
not from their own merits, but from the grace of Christ. If they fail to respond in
thought, word and deed to that grace, not only shall they not be saved, but they
shall be the more severely judged (see Lk 12:48: 'everyone to whom much is gi-
ven, of him will much be required'; cf. Mt 5:19-20; 7:21-22; 25:41-46; Jas 2:14)"
("Lumen Gentium", 14).

2-3. The virtues which the Apostle lists here are all different aspects of charity
which "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col 3:14) and is the mark
of the true disciple of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35). Charity originates not in man but in
God: "it is a supernatural virtue infused by God into our soul by which we love
God above everything else for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for
love of God" ("St Pius X Catechism", 898). In its decree on ecumenism the Se-
cond Vatican Council shows the perennial relevance of these words of St Paul:
"There can be no ecumenism worthy of the name without interior conversion.
For it is from interior renewal of mind (cf. Eph 4:23), from self-denial and unstin-
ted love, that desires of unity take their rise and develop in a mature way. We
should therefore pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to be genuinely self-denying,
humble, gentle in the service of others and to have an attitude of brotherly gene-
rosity toward them" ("Unitatis Redintegratio", 7).

Charity is basic to the building up of a peaceful human society. 'The conscious-
ness of being trespassers against each other goes hand in hand with the call to
fraternal solidarity, which St Paul expressed in his concise exhortation to 'forbear
one another in love'. What a lesson of humility is to be found here with regard to
man, with regard both to one's neighbor and to oneself! What a school of good
will for daily living, in the various conditions of our existence!" (John Paul II,
"Dives In Misericordia", 14).

The peace which unites Christians is the peace which Christ brings, or rather it
is Christ himself (cf. 2:14). By having the same faith and the same Spirit, "all find
themselves", says St John Chrysostom, "brought together in the Church--old and
young, poor and rich, adult and child, husband and wife: people of either sex and
of every condition become one and the same, more closely united than the parts
of a single body, for the unity of souls is more intimate and more perfect than that
of any natural substance. However, this unity is maintained only by 'the bond of
peace'. It could not exist in the midst of disorder and enmity.... This is a bond
which does not restrict us, which unites us closely to one another and does not
overwhelm us: it expands our heart and gives us greater joy than we could ever
have if we were unattached. He who is strong is linked to the weaker one to carry
him and prevent him from falling and collapsing. Does the weak person feel weak?:
the stronger person tries to build up his strength. 'A brother helped is like a strong
city', says the wise man (Prov 18: 19)" ("Hom. on Eph, 9, ad loc".).

Union of hearts, affections and intentions is the result of the action of the Holy
Spirit in souls, and it makes for effectiveness and strength in apostolate.

"Do you see? One strand of wire entwined with another, many woven tightly to-
gether, form that cable strong enough to lift huge weights.

"You and your brothers, with wills united to carry out God's will, can overcome all
obstacles" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 480).

4-6. To show the importance of unity in the Church, and the theological basis of
that unity, St Paul quotes an acclamation which may well have been taken from
early Christian baptismal liturgy. It implies that the unity of the Church derives
from the unicity of the divine essence. The text also reflects the three persons of
the Blessed Trinity who are at work in the Church and who keep it together--one
Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father.

There is "only one" Holy Spirit, who brings about and maintains the unity of Christ's
mystical body; and there is "only one" such body, the Church: "After being lifted
up on the cross and glorified, the Lord Jesus pours forth the Spirit whom he had
promised, and through whom he has called and gathered together the people of
the New Covenant, which is the Church, into a unity of faith, hope and charity, as
the Apostle teaches us (Eph 4:4-5; Gal 3:27-28) [...] It is the Holy Spirit, dwelling
in believers and pervading and ruling over the entire Church, who brings about that
wonderful communion of the faithful and joins them together so intimately in Christ,
for he [the Spirit is the principle of the Church's unity" (Vatican II, "Unitatis Redin-
tegratio", 2). All Gentiles as well as Jews are called to join this Church; all, there-
fore, share the one single hope--that of being saints which is implied in the voca-
tion they have received.

Recognition of there being only one Lord, who is head of the mystical body, un-
derlines the unity that should obtain among all the many members of this single
body. All its members are solidly built on Christ when they confess "only one"
faith--the faith that he taught and which the Apostles and the Church have ex-
pressed in clear statements of doctrine and dogma. "There can be only one faith;
and so, if a person refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so
the Lord commands, as a heathen and a publican (cf. Mt 18:17)" (Pius XII, "Mys-
tici Corporis", 10). All Christians have also received only one Baptism, that is, a
Baptism by means of which, after making a profession of faith, they join the other
members of the Church as their equals. Since there is only "one Lord, one faith,
one baptism," "there is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth
in Christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one sal-
vation, one hope and undivided charity. In Christ and in the Church there is, then,
no inequality arising from race or nationality, social condition or sex, for 'there is
neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor
female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus' (Gal 3:28; cf. Col 3:11)" (Vatican II,
Lumen Gentium", 32).

God, the Father of all, is, in the last analysis, the basis of the natural unity of
mankind. Pope Pius XII, after recalling that the sacred books tell us that all the
rest of mankind originated from the first man and woman, and how all the various
tribes and peoples grew up which are scattered throughout the world, exclaimed,
"This is a wonderful vision which allows us to reflect on the unity of mankind: all
mankind has a common origin in the Creator, as we are told, 'one God and father
of us all' (Eph 4:6); moreover, all men and women share one and the same nature:
all have a material body and an immortal and spiritual soul" ("Summi Pontificatus",
18). God is "above all": his lordship and control over things means that he is the
author and maintainer of their unity. Throughout history he has acted "through all"
his children, that is, believers, whom he has used to bring about unity among
men and over all created things. And he dwells "in all" the faithful, for they belong
to him; even the deepest recesses of their hearts are his.

7. The diversity of graces or charisms which accompany the various kinds of vo-
cation given to members of the Church do not undermine its unity; rather, they
enhance it, because it is Christ himself who bestows these gifts, as St Paul
teaches in vv. 8-10. Christ also provides the Church with ministers who devote
themselves to building up his body (vv. 11-12).

So just as there is a great variety of personality and situation, the Church eviden-
ces many kinds of "charisms" or different ways of actually living out the calling
to holiness which God addresses to all. "In the Church", John Paul II points out,
"as the community of the people of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit's
working, each member has 'his own special gift', as St Paul teaches (1 Cor 7:7).
Although this 'gift' is a personal vocation and a form of participation in the
Church's saving work, it also serves others, builds the Church and the fraternal
communities in the various spheres of human life on earth" ("Redemptor Homi-
nis", 21).

8-9. The quotation in v. 8 comes from Psalm 68:18. In it we see God entering
Zion in triumph, where his people receive him, pay him homage and offer him
gifts. Jewish tradition applied these words of the psalm to Moses, by changing
the meaning somewhat: Moses ascended on high, that is, went up Mount Sinai,
and brought down gifts for men, that is, the Law of God. St Paul teaches that
this psalm finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, for it is through him that God's
gifts reach us. He sees Jesus, as it were, from the glory of heaven, which he
has already entered, distributing to all men the gifts he won through his resur-
rection.

When he says "he ascended on high" he is speaking figuratively. According to
the cosmology of the ancient world, which the Jews tended to follow, heaven,
where God dwelt, was thought of as being in the highest firmament. The "lower
parts of the earth" can be understood as simply the earth, or else, sheol, the
dwelling-place of the dead, according to Jewish notions (cf. Gen 37:25; Deut
32:22; Job 10:21; etc.); thus, the passage may refer to Christ's life on earth, or
else to his death. Whichever is the correct interpretation, it underlines the fact
that Christ was truly man, and that he was humiliated and then raised up after
his life on earth, and is recognized to have the same lordship over all creation
as the Father. Christ exercises his lordship by raising all things to find total
fulfillment in him: he is the head of all creation for the glory of the Father: 'The
Word of God, through whom all things were made, was made flesh, so that as
a perfect man he could save all men and sum up all things in himself. The Lord
is the goal of human history, the focal point of the desires of history and civiliza-
tion, the center of mankind, the joy of all hearts, and the fulfillment of all aspira-
tions (cf. Paul VI, "Address", 3 February 1965). It is he whom the Father raised
from the dead, exalted and placed at his right hand, constituting him judge of
the living and the dead. Animated and drawn together in his Spirit we press on-
wards on our journey towards the consummation of history which fully corres-
ponds to the plan of his love--'to unite all things in him, things in heaven and
things on earth' (Eph 1:10)" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 45).

Prior to being redeemed we were subject to the slavery of sin (cf. Rom 6:20;
7:14). Christ's redeeming action has freed us from that tyranny, thereby fulfilling
the words of the psalm: "he led captivity captive", "he led a host of captives".

11-12. The Apostle here refers to certain ministries or offices in the Church, which
are performed not only in a charismatic way, under the influence of the Holy Spirit,
but as an assignment or ministry entrusted to the particular individual by the glori-
fied Lord.

These ministries have to do with preaching (teaching) and government. In 1 Corin-
thians 12:27-30 and Romans 12:6-8, mention is made, alongside ministries, of
other charisms which complete the array of the gifts to be found in the mystical
body of Christ. St Paul here presents them as gifts given by Christ, the head of
his body, gifts which make for the strengthening of its unity and love. In this con-
nection, see the quotation from "Lumen Gentium", 7, in the note on 1:22-23
above. These graces are provided by the Holy Spirit who, "distributing various
kinds of spiritual gifts and ministries (cf. 1 Cor 12:4-11), enriches the Church of
Jesus Christ with different functions in order to equip the saints for the works of
service (cf. Eph 4:12)" ("Unitatis Redintegratio", 2).

In the list which St Paul gives the first to appear are apostles. These may be the
first apostles (including Paul himself) or a wider group (cf. 1 Cor 15:7; Rom 16:7)
which includes others sent as missionaries to establish new Christian communi-
ties. Alongside them (as in Eph 2:20; 3:5) come prophets, who are also the bed-
rock of the Church, trustees of revelation. Essentially a prophet was not someone
"sent" but rather one whose role was to "upbuild, encourage and console" (cf. 1
Cor 14:3; Acts 13:1) and who normally stayed within a particular community.
The "evangelists" were others, who had not received a direct revelation but who
devoted themselves to preaching the Gospel which the apostles had passed on
to them (cf. Acts 21:8; 2 Tim 4:5). It may be that St Paul mentions them here,
along with apostles and prophets, because it was evangelists who first preached
the Gospel in Ephesus. The last to be mentioned are pastors and teachers,
whose role was that of ruling and giving ongoing instruction to particular commu-
nities.

There is no necessary reason why the terminology used in apostolic times for
ministries in the Church should be the same as that used nowadays; however,
the ministries themselves do not change: "Guiding the Church in the way of all
truth (cf. Jn 16:13) and unifying her in communion and in the works of ministry,
the Holy Spirit bestows upon her varied hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in
this way directs her; and he adorns her with his fruits (cf. Eph 4: 12; 1 Cor 12:4;
Gal 5:22)" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 4).

And, of course, all Christians have a responsibility to spread Christ's teaching,
to cooperate in the Church's work of catechesis. "Catechesis always has been
and always will be", John Paul II teaches, "a work for which the whole Church
must feel responsible and must wish to be responsible. But the Church's mem-
bers have different responsibilities, derived from each one's mission. Because of
their charge, pastors have, at differing levels, the chief responsibility for fostering,
guiding and coordinating catechesis 1. . .]. Priests and religious have in cate-
chesis a preeminent field for their apostolate. On another level, parents have a
unique responsibility. Teachers, the various ministers of the Church, catechists,
and also organizers of social communications, all have in various degrees very
precise responsibilities in this education of the believing conscience, an educa-
tion that is important for the life of the Church and affects the life of society as
such" ("Catechesi Tradendae", 16).

13. The building up of the body of Christ occurs to the extent that its members
strive to hold on to the truths of faith and to practice charity. The "knowledge of
the Son of God" refers not only to the object of faith--which is basically the ac-
ceptance of Christ as true God and true man--but also to a vital and loving rela-
tionship with him. A conscientious approach to the personal obligations that faith
implies is the mark of maturity, whereas an undeveloped, childish personality is
marked by a certain instability.

As Christians develop in faith and love, they become more firmly inserted into the
body of Christ and make a greater contribution to its development. In this way
"mature manhood" is reached: this seems to refer not to the individual Christian
but rather to the "total Christ" or "whole Christ" in St Augustine's phrase, that is,
all the members in union with the head, Christ. "It is due to this communication
of the Spirit of Christ that all the gifts, virtues, and miraculous powers which are
found eminently, most abundantly, and fontally in the head, stream into all the
members of the Church and in them are perfected daily according to the place
of each in the mystical body of Jesus Christ; and that, consequently, the Church
becomes as it were the fullness and completion of the Redeemer, Christ in the
Church being in some sense brought to complete achievement" (Pius XII, "Mys-
tici Corporis", 34).

"The fullness of Christ" must mean the Church itself or Christians incorporated
into Christ; the "fullness" ("pleroma") of a boat is the sum total of the gear, crew
and cargo which "fill" the boat, and mean it is ready to weigh anchor. "As mem-
bers of the living Christ, incorporated into him and made like him by Baptism,
Confirmation and the Eucharist, all the faithful have an obligation to collaborate
in the spreading and growth of his body, so that they might bring it to fullness
as soon as possible" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 36).

14. "It is natural for a child not to stay fixed in (his ideas) but to be influenced by
everything he is told. But if we wish to show that we are mature people we need
to get rid of changeable, that is, unstable, thoughts" (St Thomas Aquinas, "Com-
mentary on Eph, ad loc."). Serenity of mind and clearness of thought are charac-
teristics of human maturity. In the presentation of Christian doctrine, firmness in
the faith, and prudence, as distinct from a penchant for new ideas, are a sign of
supernatural maturity. This maturity guarantees that a person will not wander
from the truth, will not be led astray-even involuntarily--by erroneous ideas. In
this connection Pius XII warns us that "to. neglect, or to reject, or to devalue so
many and such great resources which have been conceived, expressed and per-
fected so often by the age-old work of men endowed with no common talent and
holiness, working under the vigilant supervision of the holy Magisterium and with
the light and leadership of the Holy Spirit in order to state the truths of the faith
ever more accurately, to do this so that these things may be replaced by conjec-
tural notions and by some formless and unstable tenets of a new philosophy,
tenets which, like the flowers of the field, are in existence today and die tomor-
row; this is supreme imprudence and something that would make dogma itself
a reed shaken by the wind" ("Humani Generis").

15. Truthfulness and charity should be very much in evidence in a Christian's
public and private life. Thus, when one meets people who think differently from
oneself--in matters of opinion--one should respect their point of view, respect
their God-given freedom, and remember that in matters of this kind no one can
be said to be absolutely right or absolutely wrong.

However, situations will arise where a Christian is dealing with people who regard
the truth as merely a matter of opinion--or who in fact regard as true something
which is quite the opposite. In these situations too one should practice "the truth
with charity", by being very under-standing towards the person(s) involved, yet
refusing to accept the error proposed. "A disciple of Christ", St Escriva writes,
"will never treat anyone badly. Error he will call error, but the person in error he
will correct with kindliness. Otherwise he will not be able to help him, to sanctify
him. We must learn to live together, to understand one another, to make allowan-
ces, to be brotherly and, at all times in the words of St John of the Cross, 'where
there is no love, put love and you will find love'" ("Friends of God", 9).

Truth, then, should always be presented in a friendly, gentle way, never imposed
by any type of coercion. Otherwise, it would be impossible to bring about peace
between individuals or groups; on the contrary, it would lead to endless strife:
"Peace on earth, which flows from love of one's neighbor, symbolizes and derives
from the peace of Christ who proceeds from God the Father. Christ, the Word
made flesh, the prince of peace, reconciled all men to God by the cross, and,
restoring the unity of all in one people and one body, he abolished hatred in his
own flesh, having been lifted up through his resurrection he poured forth the Spirit
of love into the hearts of men. Therefore, all Christians are earnestly to speak the
truth in love (cf. Eph 4:15) and join with all peace-loving men in pleading for peace
and trying to bring it about. In the same spirit we cannot but express our admira-
tion for all who forego the use of violence to vindicate their rights and resort to
those other means of defense which are available to weaker parties, provided it
can be done without harm to the rights and duties of others and of the commu-
nity" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 78).

16. In the same sort of way as happens in the human body, the Church, as
Christ's body, receives from him, its head, the grace it needs for its full develop-
ment. The head rules the various members to get them to perform particular func-
tions: "In the organism of a living body no member plays a purely passive part;
sharing in the life of the body it shares at the same time in its activity. The same
is true for the mystical body of Christ, the Church: 'the whole body..., when each
part is working properly, makes full growth' (Eph 4:16)" (Vatican II, "Apostolicam
Actuositatem," 2).

Christ is the head, and therefore from him comes the life and supernatural im-
pulse that inspires each of his members. "As the nerves extend from the head to
all the members of our body, giving them the power to feel and move, so our Sa-
vior pours forth into the Church his power and virtue, giving to the faithful a clearer
understanding and a more ardent desire of the things of God. From him flows into
the body of the Church all the light which divinely illumines those who believe, and
all the grace which makes them holy as he himself is holy [...]. Christ is the au-
thor and efficient cause of holiness; for there can be no salutary act which does
not proceed from him as from its supernatural source: 'Without me,' he said, you
can do nothing' (Jn l5:5). If we are moved to sorrow and repentance for the sins
we have committed, if we turn to God with filial fear and hope, it is always his
power that leads us on. His inexhaustible fullness or the fount of grace and glory.
Especially the more eminent members of his body are constantly enriched by
our Savior with the gifts of counsel, fortitude, fear and piety, so that the whole
body may daily increase in holiness and integrity of life" (Pius XII, "Mystici Cor-
poris", 22-23.).

Gospel Reading: Mark 16:15-20

Jesus Appears to the Eleven. The Apostle's Mission
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[15] And He (Jesus) said to them (the Eleven), "Go into all the world and preach
the Gospel to the whole creation. [16] He who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. [17] And these signs
will accompany those who believe; in My name they will cast out demons; they
will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any
deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they
will recover."

The Ascension
---------------------
[19] So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into
Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

The Apostles Go Forth and Preach
--------------------------------------------------
[20] And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with
them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

15. This verse contains what is called the "universal apostolic mandate" (paral-
leled by Matthew 28:19-20 and Luke 24:46-48). This is an imperative command
from Christ to His Apostles to preach the Gospel to the whole world. This same
apostolic mission applies, especially to the Apostles' successors, the bishops
in communion with Peter's successor, the Pope.

But this mission extends further: the whole "Church was founded to spread the
Kingdom of Christ over all the earth for the glory of God the Father, to make all
men partakers in redemption and salvation.... Every activity of the Mystical Body
with this in view goes by the name of 'apostolate'; the Church exercises it through
all its members, though in various ways. In fact, the Christian vocation is, of its
nature, a vocation to the apostolate as well. In the organism of a living body no
member plays a purely passive part, sharing in the life of the body it shares at the
same time in its activity. The same is true for the body of Christ, the Church: 'the
whole body achieves full growth in dependence on the full functioning of each part'
(Ephesians 4:16). Between the members of this body there exists, further, such
a unity and solidarity (cf. Ephesians 4:16) that a member who does not work at
the growth of the body to the extent of his possibilities must be considered use-
less both to the Church and to himself.

"In the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission. To the apostles
and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying and
governing in His name and by His power. But the laity are made to share in the
priestly, prophetical and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the Church
and in the world, their own assignment in the mission of the whole people of God"
(Vatican II, "Apostolicam Actuositatem", 2).

It is true that God acts directly on each person's soul through grace, but it must
also be said that it is Christ's will (expressed here and elsewhere) that men should
be an instrument or vehicle of salvation for others.

Vatican II also teaches this: "On all Christians, accordingly, rests the noble obli-
gation of working to bring all men throughout the whole world to hear and accept
the divine message of salvation" ("ibid.", 3).

16. This verse teaches that, as a consequence of the proclamation of the Good
News, faith and Baptism are indispensable pre-requisites for attaining salvation.
Conversion to the faith of Jesus Christ should lead directly to Baptism, which
confers on us "the first sanctifying grace, by which Original Sin is forgiven, and
which also forgives any actual sins there may be; it remits all punishment due
for sins; it impresses on the soul the mark of the Christian; it makes us children
of God, members of the Church and heirs to Heaven, and enables us to receive
the other Sacraments" ("St. Pius X Catechism", 553).

Baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation, as we can see from these words
of the Lord. But physical impossibility for receiving the rite of Baptism can be
replaced either by martyrdom (called, therefore, "baptism of blood") or by a per-
fect act of love of God and of contrition, together with an at least implicit desire
to be baptized: this is called "baptism of desire" (cf. "ibid.", 567-568).

Regarding infant Baptism, St. Augustine taught that "the custom of our Mother
the Church of infant Baptism is in no way to be rejected or considered unneces-
sary; on the contrary, it is to be believed on the ground that it is a tradition from
the Apostles" ("De Gen., Ad Litt.", 10, 23, 39). The new "Code of Canon Law"
also stresses the need to baptize infants: "Parents are obliged to see that their
infants are baptized within the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the
birth, indeed even before it, they are to approach the parish priest to ask for the
Sacrament for their child, and to be themselves duly prepared for it" (Canon 867).

Another consequence of the proclamation of the Gospel, closely linked with the
previous one, is that "the Church is necessary", as Vatican II declares: "Christ
is the one mediator and way of salvation; He is present to us in His body which
is the Church. He Himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism
(cf. Mark 16:16; John 3:5), and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity
of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they
could not be saved who, knowing that the Church was founded as necessary by
God through Christ, would refuse to enter it, or to remain in it" ("Lumen Gentium",
14; cf. "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 4; "Ad Gentes", 1-3; "Dignitatis Humanae", 11).

17-18. In the early days of the Church, public miracles of this kind happened
frequently. There are numerous historical records of these events in the New
Testament (cf., e.g., Acts 3:1-11; 28:3-6) and in other ancient Christian writings.
It was very fitting that this should be so, for it gave visible proof of the truth of
Christianity.

Miracles of this type still occur, but much more seldom; they are very exceptional.
This, too, is fitting because, on the one hand, the truth of Christianity has been
attested to enough; and, on the other, it leaves room for us to merit through faith.
St. Jerome comments: "Miracles were necessary at the beginning to confirm the
people in the faith. But, once the faith of the Church is confirmed, miracles are
not necessary" ("Comm. In Marcum, in loc."). However, God still works miracles
through saints in every generation, including our own.

19. The Lord's ascension into Heaven and His sitting at the right hand of the
Father is the sixth article of faith confessed in the Creed. Jesus Christ went up
into Heaven body and soul, to take possession of the Kingdom He won through
His death, to prepare for us a place in Heaven (cf. Revelation 3:21) and to send
the Holy Spirit to His Church (cf. "St. Pius X Cathechism", 123).

To say that He "sat at the right hand of God" means that Jesus Christ, including
His humanity, has taken eternal possession of Heaven and that, being the equal
of His Father in that He is God, He occupies the place of highest honor beside
Him in His human capacity (cf. "St. Pius V Catechism", I, 7, 2-3). Already in the
Old Testament the Messiah is spoken of as seated at the right hand of the Al-
mighty, thereby showing the supreme dignity of Yahweh's Annointed (cf. Psalm
110:1). The New Testament records this truth here and also in many other pas-
sages (cf. Ephesians 1:20-22; Hebrews 1:13).

As the "St. Pius V Catechism" adds, Jesus went up to Heaven by His own power
and not by any other. Nor was it only as God that He ascended, but also as man.

20. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the evangelist attests that the words of Christ have
already begun to be fulfilled by the time of writing. The Apostles, in other words,
were faithfully carrying out the mission of our Lord entrusted to them. They begin
to preach the Good News of salvation throughout the known world. Their prea-
ching was accompanied by the signs and wonders the Lord had promised, which
lent authority to their witness and their teaching. Yet, we know that their apostolic
work was always hard, involving much effort, danger, misunderstanding, persecution
and even martyrdom--like our Lord's own life.

Thanks to God and also to the Apostles, the strength and joy of our Lord Jesus
Christ has reached as far as us. But every Christian generation, every man and
woman, has to receive the preaching of the Gospel and, in turn, pass it on. The
grace of God will always be available to us: "Non est abbreviata manus Domini"
(Isaiah 59:1), the power of the Lord has not diminished.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.

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