Praised be Jesus, Mary, and
Joseph!
St. Mark tells us that Jesus “was
taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” The Ascension
of Jesus is his exaltation. St. Paul tells us that the Father raised Jesus from
the dead and seated him at his right hand “far above every principality,
authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this
age but also in the one to come.” (Nasa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ni Kristo ang
lahat ng paghahari, kapamahalaan, kapangyarihan, at pamunuan. Higit ang kanyang
pangalan kaysa lahat ng pangalan, hindi lamang sa panahong ito kundi pati sa
darating.) In fact, the Father “put all things beneath his feet and gave him as
head over all things to the Church…the fullness of the one who fills all things
in every way.” (Pinailalim ng Diyos sa kapangyarihan ni Kristo ang lahat ng
bagay, at siya ang ginawang ulo ng Simbahan…ang kapuspusan niya na pumupuspos
sa lahat lahat.)
Why this exaltation? Why this immense
power? It is because the Father was pleased by the humility and obedience of
his Son Jesus who did not hesitate to empty himself in order to take our humble
likeness. The Father was pleased with Jesus who humbled himself further by
obediently accepting death on the Cross. Jesus was exalted far above all powers
because he went to the very depths of our human misery; that depth of human
misery is death where man has lost everything. The height of his exaltation is
commensurate to the depth of his plunge. The abundance of his wealth is
commensurate to the abjection of his poverty. The greatness of his power is
commensurate to the weakness that he embraced. He who descended to earth
ascends to heaven: he is the Son of Man who is in heaven.
Looking at what the Father did to
his Son, we realize “what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the
riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the
surpassing greatness of his power for us to believe.” St. Paul affirms that
“this power working in us is the same as the great might which he worked in
Christ.” Thus, his glory is ours…only if we descend with him into the depths of
humiliation. His abundance is ours…only if we renounce everything to imitate
his poverty. His power is ours…only if we rank ourselves among the meek and the
gentle of the earth. Indeed, we will inherit the heavenly inheritance of Jesus
only if we suffer together with him. There is no other way. The way of glory is
the way of humility. Jesus said, “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled
and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Therefore, let us not hesitate to
lose everything for the sake of Jesus. Just remember the abundant inheritance
that awaits us. If we want to gain everything, we must detach ourselves from
everything that the world holds dear. We must renounce everything, including
our very selves, in order to follow the Lord along the way of humility, of
poverty, and of weakness. When we follow him to the depths, he will bring us
with him to the heights. The Lord did not promise us happiness in this life but
only in the next.
Jesus, I trust in you. O Mary
conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
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