THE DIVINE ASCENSION OF THE LORD (Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Lord, God and Savior JESUS CHRIST,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE DIVINE ASCENSION OF THE LORD (Part II)
By Saint Gregory Palamas

Given that we desire a long life, should we not take Eternal Life into account? If we long for a kingdom which, however enduring has an end, and glory and joy which, great as they are, will fade, and wealth that will perish with the present life, and we labour for the sake of such things, ought we not to seek the Kingdom, glory, joy and riches which, as well as being All-Surpassing, are unfading and endless, and ought we not to endure a little constraint in order to inherit it? Besides, we are presupposing a kingdom free from war, which is impossible on earth, and a life without sorrow, which you can only find in heaven. So let anyone who desires these things run towards heaven, and, whether the way there be ea16:14)sy or difficult, let him journey along it, "rejoicing in hope" and "patient in tribulation" (Romans 12:12).

Brethren, I entreat you, let us not prefer darkness to light, the devil to God, that pleasure which is the servant of death and hell to Eternal Divine joy. Let us not choose destruction’s abundant possessions, which, as the Lord showed us through the Parable of the Rich Man (Luke 16:19ff), are fuel for the flame which eternally burns those who acquired wealth in an evil way, rather than the love that enriches. Instead, let us live as He did, and as He showed and taught us when He was made man. Let us take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24), having crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24), that we may be glorified together with Him (Romans 8:17), and rise with Him, and after our resurrection be taken up to Him, as He was taken up today to the Father. He was standing in the midst of the Disciples, as Luke says (Luke 24:36), or rather, He appeared to them, as Mark records (Mark 16:14)–for He did not arrive at the moment He appeared, but was always with them and showed Himself visibly when He wished. So, as He was standing in the midst of His Disciples He ordered them to preach (Mark 16:15), gave them the promise of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49) and declared that He would be with them to the end (Matthew 28:20). After these words, He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and was taken up as they watched (Luke 24:50-51). In this way He showed that those who obeyed Him would also be carried up to God after rising again.

He was separated from them in the body (though as God He was with them) and, as He had promised them, He was taken up and sat on the right hand of the Father with our human flesh. As He lived, died, rose and ascended, so we all live, die and are resurrected. Not all of us, however, will attain to the ascension, but only those for whom to live is Christ, and to die for Him is gain (Philippian 1:21), those who, before they died, crucified sini through repentance and a way of life in accord with the gospel. After the resurrection of all, they alone will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:17). A cloud also received the Lord as He Ascended, as Luke relates in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:9). After the Ascension the Disciples did not see Him with their bodily eyes, but with the eyes of their souls, yet they worshipped Him (Luke 24:52). Let us do the same, then, then, like them, stay in peace (for Jerusalem means PEACE) keeping peace within ourselves and with one another. Let each of us go inot our own upper room (Acts 1:13), our mind, and stay there praying, and let us purify ourselves from passionate and base thoughts.

In this way we shall not miss the coming of the Comforter, and shall worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in spirit and in truth, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. (The Homilies)

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Ascension,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George