“He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (JN 21: 19)
Everything in our lives is about “following Our Lord” and “glorifying God.” We could be scared thinking about our death. Still, if everything is about our service to others, about our love to God’s creation, about our dedication to being close to Him, even death will be a moment of our connection with God and an act of unconditional love to Him.
“The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am, they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (JN 17: 24)
We are so special; we are God’s present to His Son. How much we are loved, how notable we are. And God wants us to be with Him in Heaven for eternity. And we are loved “before the foundation of the world.” We can transmit this love to our loved ones.
“May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.” (JN 17: 11)
What a grace we have received—God wants to be one with us. The Holy Trinity unity is shared with us. How important it is for the relationship of spouses to protect and to lead their children; how important it is for any community to be connected and united in their mission and apostolate.
“Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.” (JN 17: 9-10)
We know how important it is for us, created on His image and likeness, to be connected and in a relationship. It is important for a young lady to find the right person for her, for a young man to find a spouse for him, how important it for a couple is to be parents, and for kids to be somebody’s children. We are growing, and we are creative and joyful when we are in a relationship. We are Our Lord’s siblings, we are His Father’s children, and with this bond, everything comes.
“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (JN 16: 32-33)
Our Lord knew what could happen with the Apostles when His “hour” will come. And He knew what could happen when His disciples start their mission. Behind being persecuted, there is one more difficult situation—being totally separated and abandoned by your friends. And this will never happen because we can always count on His presence in our heart like He is “not alone because the Father is with Him.” Remembering this could help us, “so that you may have peace in me.”
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.” (MK 16: 19-20)
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, a very emotional moment when Our Lord left His Apostles and “was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” Mission completed, time to be back with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But Our Lord, Who is love, can’t leave us, because love connects persons, make them united, even when separated; parents “feel” connected with their children always, doesn’t matter where they live, spouses love each other even in long-distance… With His Ascension, we receive much more: Our Lord works with us and confirms our words through accompanying signs, and we will receive the Holy Spirit soon to support us.
“Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you clearly about the Father.” (JN 16: 25)
In our world, we count everything in hours: the hour when we were born, the hour when we become spouses, parents, the hour when we will go to heaven.
Every hour is a special moment when we can do something for our relatives and bring everybody closer to God, Who is Father and loves us unconditionally.
“I came from the Father and have come into the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” (JN 15: 11-12)
We can grow fully only when we become a sincere gift of self. We can’t be happy alone; we are created in God’s image and likeness, only when we live in a relationship and are related to others. “Complete joy” is when we are the free, creative, and joyful gift of self, when we look at what we can do for others, and gentle when we meet somebody’s limits.
“I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” (JN 16: 20)
In our world, “grief” and “joy” are opposites; but from God’s perspective, they are not. What “the world” sees as joy, we will “weep and mourn;” what the world sees as “grief”, we are able to see as “joy.” The same situation could be called “grief” and “joy;” (like the reaction to the rain for one man, who planned to test his gore-tex uniform, and the other one, who planned to propose to his girlfriend in a romantic walk in the park). When we are in an excellent relationship with God, we see His providing love and care in every situation.
“I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord; I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” (JN 14: 12-13)
Truth is so important in every aspect of our lives. We need truth to build a strong and lifelong relationship with our relatives and our friends, we need truth in our social and business life, we need truth to grow and become a true and sincere gift of self. The truth we know comes from our ego, which is not a real truth, but only our own vision centered on our idealistic vision. The real truth helps us to recognize the true dignity and beauty of our spouses and our kids. Without God, it is so difficult to choose the truth, we “cannot bear it,” because with the truth we must take responsibility and extreme ownership; “but when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide us to all truth” and love and life.
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” (Gospel Acclamation)
