*Seventh Sunday of Easter May 4, 2008

* In most Catholic parishes the readings and celebration of this Sunday will be those for the Ascension. 

John 17:1-11a  All the major themes of John’s gospel are included in this statement of Jesus: the identity of Jesus as Son of God from before the world began, his coming into the world and the reason for which he was sent, the unity of the Son with the Father, Jesus’ personal love for his followers, their call to carry on his mission in the world without being “of the world”, Jesus’ promise to abide forever through his Church. Jesus begins this statement saying that “the hour has come”. Recall Jesus’ response to Mary’s petition during the wedding at Cana that his “hour” had “not yet come”. So much of how a person’s life unfolds, for good or bad, results from choices of words spoken and actions committed that take place in a matter of minutes…and with which one will live for his/her life. A presidential candidate’s hopes are dashed when he lets out a two-second “whoop”. A passerby dives into murky dark waters where a car has submerged and saves the occupant’s life. Jesus had been revealing God’s love with every moment of his life, but the next few hours would be the most decisive of his entire life. In that “hour” he won the victory over sin for billions of people throughout history.

Reading 1, Acts 1:12-14  Mark indicates that the Ascension took place while the apostles were in Jerusalem (Mk. 16:19). Luke places it near Bethany in his gospel (Lk. 24:50-53) and on the Mount of Olives (on the eastern slope of which Bethany is located) here in Acts of the Apostles. Matthew situates the event on a mountain in Galilee (Mt. 28:16-20), more likely for theological reasons than for historical accuracy as Jesus commands his apostles to bring the gospel message out to the whole world. The apostles have been holed up in Jerusalem at the house where they had celebrated the Last Supper. It seems the authorities had decided to leave them alone since, for all appearances, the ministry of Jesus’ group had been quieted. It will be in that same house that the Holy Spirit will empower the apostles and from the balcony of that same upper room that those apostles will preach Jesus publicly for the first time. Note the names in the list. Peter and John are listed before their brothers, a change from previous lists in which they were named as sets of brothers. Peter and John will soon be seen as a team sharing the leadership of the whole group. Eleven apostles are named in the list. They are still discerning what they are to do in the future, so Judas has not yet been replaced by Matthias. How many “brothers” were with them? It seems that during the following days of discernment, more of the brothers were feeling comfortable being out and about. When Matthias is selected later that week, 120 of them were together in one place (Acts 1:15).

Reading II, 1 Peter 4:13-16  This reading continues the theme of the selections taken from the first letter of Peter on the previous few Sundays. Be sure that any suffering you must endure is not merited by sinful actions which would bring shame to both the individual and the Christian community.