ASCENSION OF THE LORD A – 5 June 2011

ASCENSION OF THE LORD A – 5 June 2011

THE SCHOOL OF JESUS

Matthew 28, 16-20
 José Antonio Pagola. Translated By Rev. Fr. Valentine SJ

Rev. Fr. Valentine de Souza SJ

The situation in which our Christian communities find themselves today is not at all easy.  Many questions keep troubling the hearts of those of us who follow Jesus: how can we strengthen our faith in these times of religious crisis? What’s really important at these times? What must we do in the communities of Jesus? To what purpose must we direct our efforts?

   Matthew concludes his gospel narrative with a scene of exceptional importance. Jesus gathers his disciples for the last time to entrust his mission to them. These will be the last words they will hear him speak, the ones that will direct their work and sustain their faith all through the centuries.

   Following the directions of the women, the disciples meet in Galilee. It was there they had begun their friendship with Jesus. There, too, they had committed themselves to follow him and work for the project of the Kingdom of God. Now they’ve met without knowing what to expect. Will they meet Jesus again after his execution?

   The meeting with the Risen One isn’t easy. On seeing him approach, the disciples “prostrate themselves” before him; they realize there’s something new about Jesus; they want to believe, but “some hesitate”. The group moves between trust and sadness. They worship him but are not free from doubts and insecurity. Christians today could empathize with them. It happens to us too.

   What’s so wonderful is that Jesus does not reproach them for anything. He knows them from the day he invited them to follow him. Their faith is still small, but in spite of their doubts and hesitation, he trusts them. With this small and fragile faith they will take his message to the whole world. Thus they will be able to accept and understand those who through the centuries will have a faith that wavers. Jesus will sustain them all.

      The primary task entrusted to them is clear: “to make disciples” of his in every nation. He does not send them, properly speaking, to teach doctrine, but to work to ensure that there will be men and women who will be disciples of Jesus in the world, followers who will learn to live like him, accept him as a Teacher, and never stop learning to be free and just, working together to build a more humane world.

   Matthew sees the Christian community as a “school of Jesus”. We may be many or few. Among us there will be convinced believers and those who doubt. It will be increasingly difficult to look after all as we would like to. The important thing is that in our communities we learn to live the way Jesus lived. He is our only Master. The rest of us are all brothers and sisters who help and encourage each other to become his disciples.

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We are not orphaned. Jesus is alive in our midst




Source: URL of José Antonio Pagola's Buenas Noticias Web site http://sanvicentemartirdeabando.org. Website for Spanish original and translations: www.eclesalia.net. Jose Antonio Pagola,  vgentza@euskalnet.net , San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain.

English Translation by  (Valentine) Vally de Souza S.J.  vallydesouza@jesuits.net,   Mandal, Gujarat , India.