Ascension of the Lord: we are not orphans

(Acts 1:1-11)

At the end of his Gospel, Lk places the Ascension of Jesus on the same day as Easter, in Bethany and in the perennial act of blessing (Lk 24:50-51) - with a form of presentation understandable according to the cosmological knowledge of the time.

The same is said in Acts 1, where the same editor situates the event after forty days [symbolising continuity with Jesus' teaching: v.3] and on the Mount of Olives (cf. v.12).

Certainly, on Calvary Jesus had promised the unfortunate man who calls him by name: "Today with me you will be in Paradise" (Lk 23:43).

The evangelist and author of the Acts of the Apostles does not want to convey information, but rather a teaching in favour of the missionary fortunes of his churches - physically deprived of the Master.

Luke wishes to shake up and dissolve the doubts that had arisen in the communities, first of all about the meaning of the handover to the disciples, then about his Presence operating in the Spirit (vv.8.16).

He enlightens the third-generation followers about the mystery of the Lord's Passover, using imagery and a literary genre comprehensible to his contemporaries, mostly from the pagan world.

In a climate of living expectation, the apocalyptic writers announced the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God. And in the common mentality, the outpouring of the Spirit brought with it the inauguration of the last time.

From this conviction sprang the hope of an immediate Manifestation (limited to Israel).

The Coming One and his new order of things would come amid cosmic upheavals: floods, earthquakes, purifying fire from heaven, the resurrection of the just and the beginning of a finally fulfilling world.

A climate of exaltation was also being created among some of the faithful, which however conflicted with the death of the Master and the delay of his expected glorious appearance.

Any speculation on the proximity of the end of the ancient world resulted in a fiasco.

This went so far as to expose itself to easy ironies [2 Peter 3:4: "They will say: Where is his coming, which he promised? From the day our fathers closed their eyes, everything remains as it was at the beginning of creation"].

But in the meantime, "Come Lord!" (Marana tha) was repeated in all communities. But the years passed and events flowed on as before.

Daily life - like that of the empire - did not seem to change much.

In such a disappointing situation, questioning community members about the depth of the Faith, Lk realises the misunderstanding: the Resurrection marked the beginning of the Kingdom, not the conclusion of history.

The new world is not built through shortcuts, sudden events, immediate situations, or by proxy - nor does it arise by imagining particularisms, which on the contrary had to be crumbled.

The times were and always are long, and the endeavour starts again from scratch every day: no easy golden age; no definitive settler, guarantor of order and well-being - like the expected Messiah.

In order to correct false expectations (the colourful accounts of the apocrypha are decidedly fanciful) At describes the event of the royal enthronement [Eph 1:20-22; Eph 4:8-10; Heb 9:24-28.10:19-21; cf. Ps 110, messianic par excellence] in a sober manner, and introduces it with the dialogue between the Risen Jesus and the Apostles.

Their question was the one that resounded on the lips of the disciples at the turn of the first century: "When?" (v.6).

The meaning of the text: this is not important, one must only not lose sight of the divine condition of the one judged by men but taken up to himself by the Father.

God is not interested in debates and curiosities: what matters is the universal mission entrusted (vv.7-8).

The exact opposite of what was happening in some Christian realities, where some had even begun to neglect everyday duties.

Note that the Risen One addresses His own during the breaking of the Bread (cf. v.4) - while the Ascension scene moves to the Mount of Olives (vv.9-11.12).

Luke uses the biblical icon of Elijah's rapture (2 Kings 2:9-15) as a narrative background to indicate that Christ pours out his Spirit and empowers the brothers to continue his mission in the world.

In fact, the book of Kings tells of the works of the pupil Elisha: they were modelled on those of the master, Elijah.

The grandiose scenography used by the author of Acts should not be confusing: it is to clarify the meaning of the handover and sending.

The victory of the Risen One is his outgoing people: such remains the access to the glory of the Father.

In the First Testament, the Cloud (v.9) indicated the divine presence in a certain place.

Lk employs such an image to indicate that Jesus' life was not a failure, but was accepted by God.

The world of God [the two in white robes, the same at the tomb on Easter Day: Lk 24:4-6] proclaims him in truth Lord - though condemned by the authorities as an evildoer, a sinner, accursed.The "two men" (Lk 24:4) are probably Moses and Elijah - as in the Transfiguration (Lk 9:30) - i.e. the Law and the Prophets, fundamental witnesses that Christ is the One sent by God.

The gaze turned to heaven (vv.10-11) is instead that of the disciples who are still perhaps hoping for a "return" [a term never used in the Gospels] of Jesus, so that he might resume his work violently interrupted.

But the message "from heaven" (v.11) makes it clear that it is not He who will bring His own Dream to fulfilment.

After the forty days [v.3: in the language of Judaism, a symbolic time necessary for the disciple's preparation] the followers received the Spirit, the inner strength enriched by discernment.

This is on one condition, well understood by Eastern icons, which in the mystery of the Ascension depict precisely two white-clothed angels pointing out the Lord's glorious nimbus to the apostles.

As in the account of the rapture of Elijah, it is necessary for the disciples to "see" where a life given - even despised by men, yet blessed by the Father - has ended up.

So it is worth it.

In this way, one must stop turning one's nose upwards, alienating oneself from the world: whatever it takes.

Indeed, only possible... "If you see me" (2 Kings 2:10).

In the Spirit, the Vision-Faith fills our eyes with Heaven: it detaches us from the judgements of banal religiosity; it gives the intelligence of the folds of history, the impulse to face life face to face, the understanding of the astonishing fruitfulness of the Cross; the ability to grasp, activate and anticipate the future.

Hence the 'great joy' (Lk 24:52) of the apostles, otherwise incomprehensible after a farewell.

«Dear Brothers and Sisters, the Lord opening the way to Heaven, gives us a foretaste of divine life already on this earth. A 19th-century Russian author wrote in his spiritual testament: "Observe the stars more often. When you have a burden in your soul, look at the stars or the azure of the sky. When you feel sad, when they offend you... converse... with Heaven. Then your soul will find rest» (N. Valentini L. Zák [editor], Pavel A. Florenskij. ‘Non dimenticatemi. Le lettere dal gulag del grande matematico, filosofo e sacerdote russo’, Milan 2000, p. 418).

[Pope Benedict, Regina Coeli 16 May 2010]