Let us assume that we belong to Christ

We have commemorated the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus. For forty days, he appeared to his disciples and his other brothers and sisters and supplemented his teaching, which he had taught the apostles and the multitudes three years before his torture. As you hear Jesus’ words, the hearts of the apostles often burned. They were glad that Jesus was their companion, so let us not be surprised when Jesus lost sight of them with his departure to the Father, that a little fear got into their hearts for a while. That is why Jesus told them words of encouragement and consolation during the meetings on earth:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice. You will regret it, but your sorrow will be turned into joy “(Jn 16:20).

The grief of Jesus ‘disciples at the departure of Jesus will be transformed into joy by the action of the Holy Spirit, who, through faith, will make them know that Jesus’ physical absence is replaced by his mysterious presence in the Sacrament of the Altar, in his word. to explain his teachings, but also in the community of believers who have received baptism: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I among them” (Mt 18:20).

The grief and abandonment of the apostles lasted only a short time. Jesus once told them that they would not see him for a while. He meant his death. Then they would see him again, and he meant the time after his resurrection to his ascension. Such timelines – for a moment – can also be understood about the new Church, when the Lord Jesus will be present in it in mysterious ways until his second coming to this world. The apostles did not dare ask the Lord Jesus for what it means “for a while.”

It is still a current problem for many people today. They try to find out, count, speculate about the second coming of the Lord Jesus into the world. After all, the Lord Jesus said that neither the angels nor the Virgin Mary knew about this day when He would come. Whether the Lord Jesus has left for good does not bother us because we are convinced of the presence of the Lord Jesus among us by the teachings of the Church. Jesus is still present among us. It is enough if we understand the participation in the Holy Mass correctly. To accept the teachings of the Church about the sacraments and proceed in reading the Scriptures in the Church’s intention.
The Lord Jesus likens how the apostles’ sorrow quickly turns to joy to a woman in labor. When the child is born, the woman quickly forgets the pain she had to endure. Motherly love far exceeds all pain. So it is with the apostles, who quickly forget the sorrow when they are convinced that Jesus lives and forms one communion with them. They are no longer frightened of them, uncertain apostles, but they become new people after receiving the Holy Spirit.

We are also grieved when we do not see the Lord Jesus. It is even more difficult when internal unrest, insecurity, dryness, and prayers without some joy fall on us, St. receiving without a sense of enrichment. So these are the moments of meeting Jesus when we don’t feel him, and he seems far away. In such difficult moments of life, let us realize that we must have confidence and courage. It is good at such a moment to have a spiritual leader, preferably a confessor, close to us and to be led by him, or we should realize for ourselves that even if we do not feel the joy of the presence of the Lord Jesus, he is still here.

An event from the life of St. Teresa, who often took on the role of a ball. She offered to the Lord Jesus that she was waiting for this moment if she wanted to play with her. But even if he puts it in the corner as unnecessary, he will wait for the moment to come when he takes it in his hands again. This saint had to live a lot in her life, even though she died young.
Once, after such a difficult trial, when for several weeks she was not happy to meet the Lord Jesus and complained to him about where he had been all this time, she received an answer in her heart: “Teresa, I was in your heart. And I was very he was glad you were looking for me. I was happy for you. “

This means, brothers and sisters, that we do not have to worry after the departure of the Lord Jesus. He is still present among us, even though our eyes cannot see him. He is here. He wants us to stay true to him even in trouble.

The forty-day period when the apostles met the risen Christ was over. We are now experiencing a time as we prepare to receive the Holy Ghost, who continues with his strength in the work of the Son of God.