According to the gospel reading today, Jesus met his eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee. He commissioned them to teach all nations, baptize and teach the people whatsoever he had commanded them. Jesus promised to stay with the believers till the end of the world (Matthew 28:16-20). Fair enough. This is the raison d'etre of the existence of the Church, her hierarchy and her missionary activities. Without this commission, the Church as she is today should not have come into existence. However, the curious thing about the choice of this reading on the Feast of Ascension is that Matthew does not mention the ascension of Jesus! The reading we have today stops short of mentioning Jesus returning to the right hand of the Father in full sight of the apostles. Of course, there is no mention of angels appearing and assuring the apostles that Jesus would return (Acts 1:11). Remember, angels are not unknown in Matthew. At the beginning of his gospel, angels appear in the nativity story. Of course, you would expect him to put them at the end of of gospel too. But Matthew didn't. There is an angel in the resurrection scene (Matthew 28:2). But there is no ascension story and Jesus promised to stay with them always until the end of the world (28:20). It seems that Jesus has never left this world.
In my previous blog on Jesus' ascension, I argued that it is necessary for Jesus to leave this world and return to his Father. Otherwise, mankind would lose their freedom to choose to believe or to reject Christianity. Imagine, throughout human history, the Catholic Church as an organized religion is headed, not by popes but by an immortal Jesus Christ. Can mankind truly exercise their freedom to reject this religion? Therefore, Jesus must have left this world and have returned to the Father. So, why does Matthew leave out the ascension account? Moreover, in what ways does Jesus stay with his disciples till the end of the world?
Indeed, Matthew has previously offered two answers:
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (18:20)
"And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." (25:40)
Therefore, Jesus exists among his disciples whenever they gather as a community and call on his name. Moreover, Jesus exists outside his disciples as a total stranger to give them opportunities to serve him, to love him so that Christians may practically love their invisible God through loving the needy whom they are able to see. Surely, Christ has disappeared and left the Christians behind on this planet and yet, he stays with them everywhere and whenever. An ascension story is redundant. Matthew simply leaves the ascension narrative blank for believers to fill in.
While most of us focus on this great commission to evangelize the world, my attention is drawn to
"And when they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted." (28:17)
All of them saw Jesus, yet some doubted what they saw! I am not able either to gain access to or to assess the psychology of those who doubted. Perhaps St. Thomas was among this group of doubting disciples (John 20:25). Though he was redeemed eight days later (20:26-29), I am sure this group of doubting disciples has never run out of members. To a certain extent, faith is a gift, a grace from God. No matter how receptive we wish to be, faith is always in short supply. Even Jesus was pessimistic and wondered if there would still be any trace of faith when he returns.
"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8)
I will not comment on the others. I only know that my faith in God and my faith in man are not strong enough. Many times, I am not able to let go. I rely more on myself to get things done according to my standard, my wish than on the others. My will be done, not God's. Don't meddle with my work. Let me finish it. That is why I am a perfectionist and an arrogant man. People find me intimidating. Humility is not my virtue. If God sends sinners to hell, I must be among the first batch. Thinking back, how amazing it is that Jesus can have faith in me when I myself do not have enough faith.
Lord, save me (Matthew 14:30). Amen.
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