I am with you always, even to the end of the age

 

 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

 

- Matthew 28:16–20 

 

The lectionary has been taking us through St. Matthew's Gospel, and recently into the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  But this week, it has been preparing us for the Feast of the Ascension, which is today in the Western Churches (and the Armenian Apostolic Church), while the Eastern Orthodox will celebrate a week from today.  Yesterday we read that, while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ?  Whose Son is He?"  They said to Him, "The Son of David."  He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'?  If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?"  And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.  In tomorrow's lectionary reading, we will resume readings in chapter 7, the final verses of the Sermon on the Mount.  

 

  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  Here Christ declares that the authority that was His by nature in His divinity is now also possessed by His glorified human nature, my study Bible comments.  It says that this human nature has now trampled the final enemy -- death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  

 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, . . . "  This is known as the Great Commission.  It is Christ's final commandment given on earth.  My study Bible comments that it is to be lived out in the Church until Christ returns again.  To make disciples is not possible in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  

 

 ". . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.  My study Bible notes that Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always, both personally and in the Holy Spirit, for neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age doesn't imply that we'll be separated from Christ at the end of the world.  He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

What does it mean that He will be with us to the end of the age?   The first thing we must remember is that we are in the age that Christ's Incarnation has initiation.   And this age -- the entire Christian era on these terms -- is the age of the "end times."  This is not a short period before time and the world as we know it ends, except perhaps in consideration of an eternal universe, but not on earthly terms.  The end times are the entire age that Christ has brought into the world, and will last until His return.  Thus He speaks of the end of the age which has a particular meaning in the context of the Church.  It is most important that He is with us, for without Him, what can we do?  What are we capable of without Him?  It is Christ who has initiated this age, He who is our Shepherd (our good shepherd; see John 10:1-16, especially verse 11).   Again, without Him, what can we do?  He makes it possible to be His disciples, He sends us His Holy Spirit, He prays to (or asks) the Father on our behalf, requesting such good help to be given to us (John 14:15-18).  He preaches also that where two or three are gathered together in His name, there He is also in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).  So He shepherds us through this time in which we, as His people and His sheep, await His return, which will be the end of the age.  Therefore this Great Commission is what we do, and how we are to keep ourselves occupied and living His commandments until His return.  We note that a significant part of this commission is the responsibility of "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you."  But how does one teach anything except by living it ourselves?  So this commission is not simply about finding disciples, but about we ourselves being the very objects others may observe and turn to by living His love and His commandments for us ourselves, as He teaches in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5:13-16, especially verse 16).  As we've observed in recent readings and commentary, Jesus warns us most scathingly against hypocrisy in the example He makes of the Pharisees (Matthew 23), so we know that teaching His commandments means living them, doing them, truly living our faith.  For this, too, He is with us always, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  For we are not alone in Christ.

 

 

 

I am with you always, even to the end of the age

 

 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

 

- Matthew 28:16–20 

 

Our recent readings have given us preparation for the Feast of the Ascension, celebrated today in Western Churches (and the Armenian Apostolic Church).  For the Eastern Orthodox, the Feast of the Ascension will take place on June 13.  Tomorrow our readings will continue from the final verses of the Sermon on the Mount.  On Tuesday, we were given Christ's explanation to the disciples of the parable of the Sower:  "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receive it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.  For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

 

  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  Here, Christ declares that the authority that was His by nature in His divinity is now also possessed by His glorified human nature, my study Bible explains.  This is essential for us to understand as this remains with Him in His Ascension.  My study Bible adds that this human nature has now trampled the final enemy, which is death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . .."  This is known as the Great Commission.  It is Christ's final commandment given on earth.  My study Bible tells us that it is to be lived out in the Church until He returns again.  To make disciples, it says, cannot be done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  Moreover, the power of the Resurrection is not only for Jesus, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.  

" . . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.  My study Bible notes that Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always, both personally and in the Holy Spirit -- as neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age is not meant to imply we'll be separated from Christ at that time.  In effect, He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

 My study Bible tells us two very important things to consider and to keep in mind, both as one celebrates Christ's Ascension in Eastern or Western Churches, but also every day for the Christian believer.  First, it notes that the power of the Resurrection is not only for Jesus, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.  The second important thing has two parts:  one, that the Church makes disciples not in our own power as human beings, but in the power of God; and two, that Christ is always with us; that is, present in us as human beings, both personally and in the Holy Spirit.  In this sense, we need to remember that where there is one Person of the Trinity, all are present:  Father, Son, and Spirit.  These may seem like quite heady things to ponder, and open up many questions.  But effectively, we are taught about the extraordinary love and care of Christ (and the Father and the Holy Spirit) for us as human beings.  We need to accept, first of all, that it is Christ's glorified human nature that also rises with the divinity of Christ.  In this, it is humbling to recall His statement to the disciples:  "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2).  His "preparing a place" would seem to indicate not just making room for us as if we're staying in a new place to live, but that He has made it so that the very nature of human beings can dwell with Him, an ontological reality in which "making room" for us is giving us the ability to dwell with God.  This is a cosmic reality, made possible through Christ's own voluntary sacrifice on the Cross, giving His Body and Blood for us so that this becomes possible.  Moreover, we don't have to wait for the judgment of the world, the end of the age, for it to be true that Christ, in fact, dwells in us and with us at the present moment, for He is with us, as He has declared.  We call upon Him, we call upon the Helper, the Holy Spirit, so that we have His light to help guide us through our lives.  And in this sense we are on a path, a journey to that place He goes.  This is the path of discipleship, which He has offered to all of us, and is timeless and without limitation.  We have only to turn to Him and seek His way, receive Him, and practice the repentance He calls us to -- the ways in which our minds, hearts, and lives change in discipleship.  Christ has "paid it forward" for us on the Cross -- not in terms of a debt we owe before we owe it, but in terms of His cosmic love which fills a universe, makes room for us, and awaits us when we are ready to receive and turn to Him.  All of His preaching teaches us about "paying love forward" -- His commands are in the positive.  He teaches us to "ask," "seek," and "knock" in Matthew 7:7.  He teaches us that we become neighbors by being a neighbor in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.  In Matthew 11:12, He teaches, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" -- a vivid image given to us in which we can understand the energy and initiative He asks for and seeks in disciples.  In Tuesday's reading, Jesus replied to the disciples' question about why He is teaching in parables with a quotation from Isaiah indicating our own need to be responsible for our "hearing" and "seeing."  He invites us to take the initiative to receive Him and what He has for us, to "work the works of God" (John 6:27-29) - to believe in Him whom God sent, to be faithful.  It is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who, through the Son,  pay forward divine love and care.  That includes all the promise of the life and resurrection He offers both in the present and in the eternal sense -- so that all we need to do is take the initiative to receive, and to follow in discipleship, to meet His love with the love He awaits from us.  Jesus teaches, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends" (John 15:13).  Before we were born, this gift of love and life was given to us, a promise -- so that when we decide to be a friend, His love always awaits us. 

 

Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?

 

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demon; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen. 

 

- Mark 16:1–8 (9–20) 

 

Yesterday we read that, at Christ's crucifixion, there were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

 

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  As Christ died so close in time to the Sabbath, the burial customs of the Jews could not be completed.  So, therefore, my study Bible explains, these faithful women went as early as possible to complete the rites of burial.  Mary the mother of James is taught by some in patristic commentary to be the wife of Alphaeus, and this James was one of the Twelve (Luke 6:15).  But most hold that this is the Virgin Mary, who was in fact the stepmother of another James, called "the Lord's brothers (see Matthew 13:55; compare Mark 15:40, 47 from yesterday's reading).  The Virgin Mary appears in certain icons of the Myrrhbearing Women.  

And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  The stone had been rolled away not to make way for Christ's exit from the tomb; in His resurrected body, He needs no such accommodation (John 20:19).  It was, instead to allow the witnesses -- and we who hear and read the Gospel -- to look in and see that the tomb was empty.

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.   My study Bible comments that the specific mention of Peter is a revelation of a special care for the one who had denied Christ.  According to Theophylact, Peter would have said to himself, "I denied the Lord, and therefore am no longer His disciple."  But the command of the angel is a promise that Peter is forgiven.  That they said nothing to anyone does not mean the women never said anything; only that they kept silent until Christ appeared to them (verses 9 - 11).  

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  That Christ appeared also in another form shows that His resurrected body transcends not only physical space and time, but also appearance as well.  My study Bible notes that He was sometimes recognizable to His disciples, while at other times He was not.  This second reference would seem to be to the disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  This is called the Great Commission, and it is our Lord's final commandment given on earth.  It is meant to be lived out in the Church until Christ returns again, my study Bible tells us.  To make disciples cannot be done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  It notes further that the power of the Resurrection is not only for Jesus alone, but is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.  

"And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demon; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."   My study Bible says that new tongues is a reference to the ability to speak in languages one has not learned in order to edify others in worship (1 Corinthians 14) and also to preach the gospel (Acts 2:1-11).   To take up serpents is primarily a reference to spiritual battle against demons (Luke 10:19).  Therefore, my study Bible says, Chris tis promising to deliver believers from the powers of sin.  Moreover, it notes, this would include certain physical protection also.  St. Paul was bitten by a serpent and suffered no harm (Acts 28:3-6), and according to tradition, Barsabas Justus (Acts 1:23) was forced by unbelievers to drink poison and survived.  Nonetheless, as god's grace can protect believers form both physical and spiritual harm, to test God by deliberately doing harmful things to oneself is a grave sin (Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7). 

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.  My study Bible notes that the Ascension of Christ is celebrated forty days after the Resurrection (Acts 1:3).  This event is a fulfillment of the type given when Elijah ascended in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11), and it marks the completion of Christ's glorification and lordship over all creation.  At the Incarnation, it says, Christ brought His divine nature to human nature. In the mystery of the Ascension, Christ brings human nature to the divine Kingdom.  He reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His glorified body, revealing His glorified human nature -- even human flesh -- to be worshiped by the whole angelic realm.  In some icons of the Ascension, His white robes are tinted red to show the shedding of His blood for the redemption of the world and the ascent of His life-giving blood into heaven (Isaiah 63:1-3; see as well Psalm 24:7-10).   

 

Of these final verses in Mark's last chapter (Mark 16:9-20) it should be noted that there are two early manuscripts that do not contain them, but nearly all other manuscripts ever discovered do contain them.  They are canonized Scripture and, as my study Bible notes, are considered by the Church to be inspired, authoritative, and genuine.  We might also note here that Mark's Gospel is considered to be the first one written, and is also the shortest of them.  As we've read, we've seen the word "immediately" crop up many times, as it is very fast-moving, and unlike the other two Synoptic Gospels of Matthew and Luke, does not contain various elements reported there, such as Christ's birth, or the Sermon on the Mount.  But an interesting thing to note is that out of only 16 chapters, the last six concern themselves with the events that happened in Jerusalem.  What's significant about that is that it teaches us what was considered to be of most importance to our earliest Christian faithful in the Church.  These events of Passion Week, Crucifixion, death, and Resurrection form the great teaching of our faith in terms of the significance of the events of Christ's life and what they mean for us -- the gift of life that imparts to us the things Christ brings into the world in His divinity, and the Ascension in which He takes our humanity with Him into heaven, thus forming and including us in the great communion of saints both in heaven and on earth, together at once.  What this means for us is that we do not worship alone and isolation, but that we worship together with the angels and saints and faithful of all ages -- even as my study Bible comments on the changing form of Christ's resurrectional body:  that it transcends time and space and even appearance.  And we are to understand that all of these elements contained in Christ are a part of our communion, even as we partake from His cup in the Eucharist.  What remains most touching to us, however, are those who are faithful in their smallness and meekness and who come to mean so much through their faith:  the Myrrhbearing Women such as Mary Magdalene and others (even including Christ's Mother), the disciples who at first do not believe but then return to faith and to their apostolic mission, Peter who's given special mention by the angel at the tomb, Joseph of Arimathea who takes courage and goes to Pilate asking for Christ's body, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, even the centurion who comes to faith at the Cross and is known to us as a saint -- and so many more who are unnamed and unknown to us.  For we are taught that it is through the small that God works in the world, even through weakness.  St. Paul writes, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, 'He who glories, let him glory in the Lord'" (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).  In an era of stupendous achievement, great armies and technologies, unimaginable world telecommunications, and power and control mechanisms that shape the world in ways like never before, let us each remember these words of St. Paul's and what we read in this short Gospel of those who would also shape the world even through their meekness and smallness.  For the power of God remains as it was, with Christ who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption -- for nothing else even in such an era can do this for us.  And let us remember that even today there are those small and meek around the world who suffer for the faith of Christ.  Let us therefore glory in the Lord.  The women in today's reading ask, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  And rightly so, for it is rolled away for us.

 

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature

 

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee;  there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

 

- Mark 16:1–8 (9–20) 

 

Yesterday we read that, at Christ's crucifixion, there were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

 

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.   My study Bible explains that because Christ died so close in time to the Sabbath, the burial customs of the Jews could not be completed.  Therefore, these faithful women go as early as possible to complete the rites of burial.   Some patristic writers teach that Mary the mother of James was the wife of Alphaeus, and this James was one of the Twelve (Luke 6:15).  But most hold that this is the Virgin Mary, as she is in fact the stepmother of another James, called "the Lord's brother" (see Matthew 13:55, compare to Mark 15:40, 47 from yesterday's reading).  Many teach that Salome was the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John.

And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  We understand that the stone had been rolled away not to accommodate Christ's exit from the tomb, for as in His resurrected body, He needed no such accommodation (John 20:19).  Instead, this was specifically to allow the witnesses -- and us readers -- to look in and see that the tomb was empty.

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee;  there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  My study Bible comments that the specific mention of Peter reveals a special care for the one who had denied Christ.  Theophylact comments that Peter would have said of himself, "I denied the Lord, and therefore am no longer His disciple."  This command given by the angel is a promise that Peter is forgiven.  That they said nothing to anyone doesn't mean they never spoke of this, but that they kept silent until Christ's appearance to them (see subsequent verses).

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.   My study Bible notes that verses 9-20 (that is, these verses and the rest of today's reading) do not appear in two early manuscripts of Mark's Gospel.  But nearly all other manuscripts ever discovered have them.  They are thus canonized Scripture and are considered by the Church to be inspired, authoritative, and genuine.  Note that Jesus appeared in another form to two disciples:  the specific emphasis is on the Lord's resurrected body, which transcends not only physical space and time, but also appearance.  My study Bible points out that He was sometimes recognizable to His disciples and at other times He was not.  It's interesting to note that the rest of the disciples did not believe these early reports from Mary Magdalene and the two disciples (see Luke 24:13-35).

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  This is called the Great Commission; it is the Lord's final commandment given on earth.  My study Bible says that it is to be lived out in the Church until He returns again.  To make disciples cannot be done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  It notes that the power of the Resurrection is not only for Christ Himself, but that it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.

"And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues . . . "  My study Bible says that new tongues refers to the capacity to speak in languages that one has not learned in order to edify others in worship (1 Corinthians 14) and to preach the gospel (Acts 2:1-11).

". . . they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  To take up serpents, my study Bible writes, refers primarily to spiritual battle against demons (Luke 10:19).  Therefore, Christ is promising to deliver believers from the power of sin.  Moreover, this includes certain physical protection as well.  St. Paul was bitten by a serpent and suffered no harm (Acts 28:3-6), and according to tradition, Barsabas Justus (Acts 1:23) was forced by unbelievers to drink poison and survived.  Nonetheless, while God's grace can protect believers from both physical and spiritual harm, to test God by deliberately committing harmful acts against oneself is a grave sin (Deuteronomy 6:16, Matthew 4:7).

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.   The Ascension of Christ (He was received up into heaven) is celebrated forty days after the Resurrection (Acts 1:3).  This event fulfills the type which was given when Elijah ascended in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11) and it marks the completion of Christ's glorification and lordship over all creation.  My study Bible teaches that at the Incarnation, Christ brought His divine nature to human nature.  But in the mystery of the Ascension, Christ brings human nature to the divine Kingdom.  He reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His glorified body, revealing His glorified human nature -- indeed, human flesh -- to be worshiped by the whole angelic realm.  In some icons and paintings of the Ascension, we may observe that Christ's white robes are tinted red to indicate the shedding of His blood for the redemption of the world and the ascent of that life-giving blood into heaven (Isaiah 63:1-3; see also Psalm 23:7-10).

How do you carry out Christ's Great Commission?  He commands the disciples, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," adding that "he who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."   In order to properly take in this second statement, it is necessary to read John 3:18, and understand that a lack of faith in Christ sets up a personal barrier against the salvation Christ offers.  But how do we go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?  In the Greek, this command literally reads that the disciples should go into all the world and preach the gospel to "all the creation" (πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει).  This is affirmed in the statements in John's Gospel, in which we're taught that Christ came into the world "for the life of the world" (John 6:33, 51).  There is, in effect, nothing left out of this salvation plan.  In fact, in the Greek for "all the world" (in Mark 16:15 as well as the two verses from John 6) the word used for world is κόσμος/kosmos, which effectively embraces the whole created order, as while it is a word used to indicate "the world" as we understand it, it is also the word for literally all of creation -- that is everything created by God, an entire universe of all things visible and invisible, as the Creed states.  What that seems to indicate regarding this Great Commission is that God's redeeming mission, and the power of the Resurrection, will leave absolutely nothing out of this redemption.  Only human beings have the power to reject this for themselves, but the nature of this healing, transforming, redeeming gospel mission is to be complete in every respect imaginable.  The Creator has come into the world as a human being in order to restore all of creation to communion with God, to heal what is broken -- and that brokenness, apparently, goes way beyond only the minds and hearts of human beings.  It is something we need to understand in its fullness, both the effects of sin reaching into all levels of life, and the power of redemption which will not stop until it is fully complete for the entire creation.  And so, this gospel message of redemption is truly for all the world, all the cosmos, everything understood to be created by God, and not simply for individual human beings.  It is individual human beings who have the power through their will to reject it; but its fullness is intended for much more than we can possibly imagine.  Jesus also mentions baptism in this Commission, and if we think about baptism, it is about much more than the power of God coming to faithful human beings.  It is also about the transformation of the elements of this world into carriers of salvation.  Water is blessed in order to bring us to participation in Christ's death and Resurrection.  Oil becomes the oil of chrismation, a vehicle for the Holy Spirit.  The very elements of creation, through the Incarnation of Christ, have become those things through which the good news of the Gospel, and the power of God, carry God's power in sacrament and mystery.  This is why, in our churches, the tradition is to bless everything, from houses to objects we make use of, to gardens, to new endeavors, in order to be effective means of salvation in our use of them.  Christ's mission into the world, and His death and Resurrection -- which are necessary in order to send the Holy Spirit -- is for every single element of creation, without exception.  The ultimate sign of salvation and redemption is the Cross itself -- through Christ's Passion, death, and Resurrection it became the symbol of salvation, transformed from the horrific instrument of the worst kind of punishing death.  So it can be in our lives through God's work in us and among us:  the things that were once used to harm or bring pain can be transformed into something entirely different.  Forgiveness works in the same way:  we give up to God our pain and hurt and harm, so that God may work through our circumstances and set us on a right path, Christ's good road, instead.  Everything about Christ's mission, in short, is redemptive, healing, salvific, and nothing is left out of this plan nor out of the Great Commission with which He left this world in order to send the Holy Spirit.  Let us use the tools and instruments we're given, the sacraments and mysteries, the helpful vehicles which convey faith such as icons or holy water, the blessings which belong everywhere, and most especially the power of prayer, for Christ reaches out all the time (Revelation 3:20-22), and the Lord is still working with us and confirming the word through all kinds of accompanying signs.

Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

Icon of Christ's Ascension, 16th century.  Michurin, Bulgaria (Burgas Art Gallery).  Photo in public domain

 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

- Matthew 28:16-20

Yesterday we read that during Holy Week, as He was being questioned in the temple, while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ?  Whose Son is He?"  They said to Him, "The Son of David."  He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool" '?  If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?"  And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."   Today we commemorate the Ascension of Christ.  It is most significant that we understand the role of the Incarnation in this Ascension.  Jesus neither appears to His disciples as a ghost or disembodied spirit; in His post-Resurrection appearances to them, He invites them to touch Him, even to see the marks of the nails of the Crucifixion and also eats with them (see John 20:27, and especially Luke 24:39-43).  These appearances were in a glorified human state.  My study bible comments on Jesus' statement, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth," that Christ declares here that the authority that was His by nature in His divinity is now also possessed by His glorified human nature.  This human nature, it says, has now trampled the final enemy -- death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you . . . "  This is known as the Great Commission.  It is the Lord's final commandment give on earth.  My study bible says it is to be lived out in the Church until Christ returns again.  Making disciples, it says, cannot be done in the strength of man, but only in the power of God.  The power of the Resurrection, it adds, is not only for Jesus Himself, but rather is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.

" . . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen."  A note here tells us that Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always.  That is, both personally and in the Holy Spirit -- as neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age, my study bible says, does not by any means imply that we will be separated from Christ at the end of the world.  He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

Jesus' final words at His Ascension are, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  These words form a promise, and something that we can count on.  Whatever it is, no matter how isolated or sad or lonely we might feel under certain circumstances, Jesus promises that He is with us always.  How can we take this promise?  First of all Jesus is making this promise at a gathering of His disciples.  The "you" is plural, for He is addressing more than one person.  And by extension, He addresses us all -- for clearly, those standing before Him would not need reassurances that extend to the end of the age.  What we can understand, then, is that this promise is made to each person who would be a disciple of Christ.  It is clearly made in a corporeal sense to the Church, the body of believers, but it is also something that can be understood to apply to each of us.  My study bible's note on this passage states that He is present in each believer and in the Church always,  and that this applies equally to Christ and to the Holy Spirit -- as they cannot be separated.  In John's Gospel, moreover, Jesus promises, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23).  What that means is that the inseparability of Father, Son, and Spirit guarantee -- they promise -- that each is with us through faith and through faithful adherence to Christ's teachings, through keeping His word.  In effect, Christ teaches that through faith, we are embraced in a loving embrace of Father, Son, and Spirit, even to the end of the age.  We are a part of something.   Not only are we children by adoption, but we are never alone, even as Christ stated He was not alone ("Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" - John 16:32).  And here we come to what is possibly the most important -- and even incredible -- fact of the Ascension.  That is, that the Incarnation of Christ is not merely about His human life in the flesh as Jesus, but that the Incarnation -- even of Christ in His glorified human body -- extends to this poignant moment which is full of meaning and promise for us.  This is because He ascends also as part of the Incarnation.  He ascends in glory not as a ghost or spirit, but in the glorified form of His humanity, and therefore can draw us with Him where He is.  If this is too awe-filled a concept to consider, then we should think about His promise that He is with us, even to the end of the age.  For without the Incarnation -- and without His ascent which includes His glorified humanity -- none of this would be possible.  It is His life as a human being, including His death on the Cross, and the resurrection appearances in His glorified body, that make it possible that He, the Father, and the Spirit are always with us according to His promise.  This is such as astonishing concept, and such a great mystery, that it is something we cannot afford to take lightly.  We may think about the generations of monastics in the desert and wilderness and elsewhere.  We may think about the saints who have served God even against terrible odds and suffering.  We might think of modern day figures who continue in faith through wars, persecutions, oppression, and all manner of battles against them, and yet come to understand that without this promise such effort and struggle would have died off long ago.  For the fact is that even through its persecutions, the Church thrives and returns.  I read recently an article about a woman named Etty Hillesum.  She was born in Holland, a Jew who was deported by the Nazis to a concentration camp.  And yet in the camp she found the Lord.  She learned to pray.   She learned to speak to God.  A very touching article has appeared recently documenting her idea that even in such horrible circumstances, and surrounded by so much terror and suffering, her choice was to remain a shelter for God.  (The article is titled Giving Shelter to God from Suffering, by Fr. Michael Plekon.)    Imprisoned in an internment camp, she writes about those who seek safety and shelter for things they own, for their fears and their bitterness.  "But," she says, "they forget that no one is in their clutches who is in Your arms."  We live today under the cloud of an epidemic, in which many perhaps might feel alone.  They don't know what their lives will look like or be like after it's over, what job they might return to, what things might be gone.  Many feel isolated.  Our suffering is not comparable to Etty's, but we might nevertheless take comfort from her wisdom and enlightenment.  She learned and rested in Christ's promise, knew it for herself, even among the worst of circumstances.  Let us, also, take heart in her words that kept Christ present -- indeed, Father, Son, and Spirit -- in the place of horrors, even as we know that Christ also descended into hell for us before His Resurrection.  Let us keep in mind all of these promises, and pray for Etty and others whose faith enabled them to ascend with Christ, and do the same for ourselves.  Let us understand the extraordinary living power of this promise these thousands of years later, and cherish it in our own lives for all it may help us to go through and to overcome -- for we are not alone.  In the icon above, we may also notice Christ's mother in the center among the disciples.  She was shelter for Him from start to finish, and remained faithful to her Son throughout her life.  She is representative of all those in the great cloud of witnesses, the saints, who also assure us we are never alone, never without their presence, even as we ask them to join us in our prayers.

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature

"The Ascension of our Lord," by John La Farge (1835-1910), completed 1888. The Church of the Ascension in the City of New York

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

- Mark 16:1-8 (9-20)

Yesterday we read that at the crucifixion and death of Jesus were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he brought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  My study bible comments that because Christ died so close in time to the Sabbath, the burial customs of the Jews couldn't be completed.  So these faithful women went as early as they could to complete the burial rites for Jesus.

And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him."  The stone had been rolled away not for the Lord to exit the tomb, as in His resurrected body He does not need such accommodation (John 20:19).  Instead, my study bible says, the open tomb was to allow these witnesses -- and us -- to look in and see that the tomb was empty.

"But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  My study bible calls the specific mention of Peter is a revelation of a special care for the one who had denied Christ.   Theophylact comments that Peter would have said of himself, "I denied the Lord, and therefore am no longer His disciple."  But the angel's command is a promise that Peter is forgiven.

So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  My study bible comments that this doesn't mean the women never said anything; rather, it means they kept silent until Jesus appeared to them (as revealed in following verses).

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  The remainder of Mark's Gospel, beginning with these verses, is not included in two early manuscripts.  But nearly all other manuscripts ever discovered contain them.  They are canonized Scripture, my study bible tells us, having been considered by the Church to be inspired, authoritative, and genuine.   That Jesus appeared in another form shows that our Lord's resurrected body transcends not simply physical space and time, but also appearance.  My study bible comments that He was sometimes recognizable to His disciples, and at other times He was not (see, for instance, Luke 24:13-35).  

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  This is called the Great Commission.  It is Christ's final command given on earth.  My study bible says it is to be lived out in the Church until He returns again.  To make disciples is not done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  It says that the power of Resurrection isn't only for Jesus Himself, but it is rather given to all the faithful for Christian life and mission.  This is simply and profoundly what it means to be "saved."

And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."   New tongues is a reference to the capacity to speak in languages one has not learned in order to edify others in worship (1 Corinthians 14) and also to preach the gospel (Acts 2:1-11).  To take up serpents is a figurative image of spiritual battle against demons (Luke 10:19).  My study bible sums it up in saying that Christ is promising, therefore, to deliver believers from the powers of sin.  Moreover, this would include certain physical protection, it notes.  St. Paul was bitten by a serpent and suffered no harm (Acts 28:3-6), and according to tradition, Barsabas Justus (Acts 1:23) was forced by nonbelievers to drink poison and survived.  But nevertheless, a note reads, while God's grace can protect believers from both physical and spiritual harm, to test God by deliberately committing harmful acts against oneself is a grave sin (Deuteronomy 6:16, Matthew 4:7).

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.  Christ's Ascension is celebrated forty days after the Resurrection (Acts 1:3).  My study bible says that this event fulfills the type given when Elijah ascended in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11).  This marks the completion of Christ's glorification and lordship over creation.  At the Incarnation,  Christ's divine nature was brought to human nature.  Here in the Ascension, Christ now brings human nature to the divine Kingdom.  My study bible tells us that He reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His glorified body, revealing His glorified human nature -- even human flesh -- to be worshiped by the entire angelic realm.  In some icons and other depictions of the Ascension such as the one above, Christ's white robes of burial are tinted red to indicate the shedding of His blood for the redemption of the world and the ascent of His life-giving blood into heaven (Isaiah 63:1-3; see also Psalm 23:7-10). 

In all things, as we are repeatedly reminded, Christianity upholds the essential foundation of the Incarnation in all of its ramifications and possible aspects.  Christ was both fully human and fully divine, this is the full impact of Incarnation.  But that translates into many sorts of powerful meanings for each of us with faith in Christ.  The Ascension is a shattering moment of cosmic history, because what it means is not only that our Lord descended into the world to live life fully as a human being, but that His glorified human nature has ascended into heaven, even to be worshiped by angels.  And in being "lifted up" He therefore lifts us up with Him where He is (John 12:32).  Many people wish to separate the human from the divine, but the Incarnation teaches us differently.  The very Eucharist given to us by Christ also teaches us differently.  We're given to understand that, in fact, our true natural state is union with God.  That is, we were made to be in this communion, this synergy of divine energies (what we know as God's mercy at work in the world) and human life.  Our lives are meant to be touched by the divine.  We are to live our lives in a prayerful manner, seeking to turn all things to God and find God's way for ourselves in each step.  It is, in fact, what it means to be truly humble, seeking to give our will to Christ's, just as Christ prayed in the garden for His Father's will over His own human impulse, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will" (see Mark 14:32-42).  When Jesus teaches that "with God all things are possible" (Mark 9:23, 10:27), this is not simply a testimony to God's power alone, but also to God's power and grace which may also work in us and with us.  The Ascension confirms, indeed, that this synergy is what we are made for.  In one of the most famous statements foundational to Christian theology, attributed to St. Athanasius (and repeated by many), we are taught that "He was made human so that he might make us gods" (De incarnatione 54,3, cf. Contra Arianos 1.39).  In other words, when Christ tells us, for example, that it is possible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven because with God all things are possible, it is a testimony to God's power and grace at work in us to transform us more closely into the image in which we are created, the likeness with God (Genesis 1:26-27).  In the Ascension, and with this image of Christ's red-tinted white robes, we are to understand the fullness of communion, and even the fullness of possibility contained in our faith and in the mission of Christ.  He ascends as fully Lord, and yet in this picture of the ultimate triumph over death, He may carry with Him each one of us.  Indeed, His very mission was to save, and not to condemn (John 3:17).  And this is the real meaning of salvation; that our lives -- even as we live in the world -- may be lived also as part of the Kingdom, an eternal prospect.  We are meant to live as followers of Christ not simply in word or concept, but through a spiritual divine-human synergy, even as He will send His Holy Spirit for all.  If that seems too strange to ponder, consider the entire meaning of Christ's mission into the world.  It was not to separate us further from heaven, but to unite us in communion -- even our very hearts.  Where does His life-giving blood take you, in the here and now?  Where does His Resurrection and Ascension take you past the sin and sadness of the world and into a changed life, His road of faith?  Let us remember He lived, ministered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven simply for the life of the world.  In all ways, He gives us life, even as He meant to abide in us and we in Him.  We are free to accept or deny His gift of abundant life to us; but how sad and profound the loss should we refuse.  Let us keep in mind, also, that Jesus tells us literally in the Greek to "preach to all the creation."  Indeed, this completion of His mission is for the life of the whole world.

And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

- Matthew 28:16-20

Yesterday we read that Jesus said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the  kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  Today's reading commemorates Ascension Day, which is celebrated today in the West.  For the Eastern Orthodox, Ascension is next week, on June 6th.  The eleven disciples are the twelve, minus the one who has betrayed Christ, Judas Iscariot.  Let us note that when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  The Gospels make clear to us that there are those who doubt.  (In Matthew's Gospel, from which today's reading is taken, Christ has made a Resurrection appearance only to the women at the tomb; see 28:1-10.  In John's chapter 20, we are given the appearance to the women, the Great Commission in today's reading, and also the story of doubt as expressed by the apostle Thomas).

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  My study bible says that this is a declaration by Christ that the authority that was His by nature in His divinity is now also possessed by His glorified human nature.  The completion of His mission as Incarnate human being has meant that this human nature has now trampled the final enemy, which is death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you . . .."  This is the Great Commission, the Lord's final commandment which is given on earth.  My study bible comments that it is to be lived out in the Church until His Return.  To make disciples cannot be done through human power alone, but only in the power of God.  Therefore, the power of the Resurrection isn't just for Jesus only, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission, which connects us to the promise He makes next.

. . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.  My study bible tells us that Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always, both personally and in the Holy Spirit, as neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age, my study bible says, does not imply we will be separated from Christ at the end of the world.  As we often hear in worship and prayer, He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

How do we teach others to be disciples?  In other words, how do we fulfill Christ's command given in this Great Commission?  Does it apply only to religious, those ordained in the Church to baptize and to teach?  As laypeople, so we also have, in the tradition of the Church, a commission to baptize where baptism is impossible otherwise, such as at the sudden death of an infant.  We teach others discipleship through our own example of discipleship.  In this sense, this commission is for all of us, for each of us, for in our own discipleship we will find natural ways to teach and to give example.  Without a doubt, just as He promises that He is with us always, even to the end of the age, He remains with each one of us, both in Himself and in the Holy Trinity which dwells within us also, and in that Trinity, so dwells the communion of saints in heaven and on earth.  This promise leaves us connected and in communion in ways we don't know and can't easily see of ourselves, but it is a promise nonetheless, that works in ways which are mysterious (meaning "hidden") to us.  Our lives, in our faith, are never separated from a vast connection both visible and invisible.  Christ, as divine Lord who has also transfigured human nature through the Incarnation, remains with us and within us, as He has promised.  He connects us more thoroughly to the divine and righteous.  The angels rejoice, we are told, at His Ascension, to see human nature glorified and entering into heaven -- for this is a revelation even for them as well.  All of creation, then, and not simply we human believers, rejoices in this Ascension and given commission.  If our own human nature is so transfigured in the Incarnation, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord, then the Church has been left for 2,000 years to wonder what that means for us who dwell in the world as believers.  We are given the myriad saints as examples of what that means, their own unique natures and character each transfigured in the light of Christ, magnifying compassion and love, a communion exemplified, the depth of adoration revealed that is possible to us.  In the saints we find a divine longing for the love of God, a thirst that is only possibly fulfilled in God's love, and all the expressions of such love shared with us as is possible, in unique ways for the circumstances, times, and characters of such saints -- and also of those myriad saints whose names we don't know.  We are connected through a web of prayer and of love, a love we don't know except through God who surpasses human expectations.  Our Lord transfigures our passions into love, and shows us the way into that love through discipleship.  By implication, the way is unlimited; but our own natures go with Him so that we, too, may rest in that discipleship and that future for we are created for this divine purpose.  As He states, it all begins with baptism, where we are invited to die to the old and live a new life -- a baptism that continues throughout our discipleship.  Do we accept the Commission, and that future for ourselves and our world?

I am with you always, even to the end of the age

 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

- Matthew 28:11-20

Yesterday we read that, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  My study bible calls this an absurd lie.  Christ's disciples were afraid and had gone into hiding.  Moreover, most of them would go on to suffer terrible persecution and martyrdom.  That they would willingly endure such sufferings over a known fallacy is simply not worth consideration. 

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  This declaration means that the authority that was Christ's by nature in His divinity is now possessed by His glorified human nature.  My study bible says that this human nature has now trampled the final enemy -- death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; . . .."  This command is called the Great Commission; it is the Lord's final commandment given on earth.  It is to be lived out in the Church until His Return.  My study bible tells that to make disciples cannot be done in the strength of man, but rather only in the power of God.  The power of the Resurrection therefore isn't for Jesus Himself alone, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission. 

" . . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.   This is a solemn promise that Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always.  This is true both personally and in the Holy Spirit.  Neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age doesn't indicate that we will be separated from Christ at the end of the world.  As is often heard in the refrain of prayers, He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

My study bible tells us that where Christ is, so is the Holy Spirit.  John's Gospel reports that Jesus tells the disciples at the Last Supper, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23).  Therefore what we are to understand is the depth of faith:  to love Christ, to keep His word, is to invite the indwelling of Father, Son, and Spirit.  This is not our job, but is the work of grace and the promise of Christ.  It is something we can count on, in which we therefore trust -- as faith is akin to trust.  The Greek word for faith is indeed the word that means "trust."  We trust in His promises, we count on the things he says He gives us for our support and sustenance.  In this we walk and take our certainty, our confidence in our own mission in the world, given by Him.  There may be many ways in which church outreach seeks to make disciples, but all of them must start with this as the first thing:  the reliance on the promise of Christ that "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."   Without this reliance, we fail in our mission, because we fail truly to understand the real nature of our faith, a reliance and dependence upon God.  We also fail to understand God's true nature, that, as Spirit, God dwells within and lives with us, and we are able to grow in spiritual virtue as we, too, possess a spirit given by God.  This is a basic understanding of growth in spiritual virtue and in a life of prayer, without which we do not have the relationship that we need and rely on with God.  Furthermore, Jesus gives us one more clue in this ongoing, synergistic life with God.  He commands the disciples that are to "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you . . .."   That baptism is an integral part of discipleship furthermore cements this need we have for reliance on God, for it is the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to truly do this work, to know and understand His commands, to allow into the depths of the heart the indwelling of Father, Son, and Spirit so that we may live as He asks us to live.  So many are tempted to simply say that our faith is replicated through a series of conscious "good works" or principles which we can intellectually extrapolate from His teachings.  But our faith isn't merely an intellectual exercise.  It is in the fullness of who we are and how we live, and moreover, indwells in the depths of the heart,  engaging body, soul, and spirit in each of us.  Without this mystical completeness, we don't truly live our faith.  We can't experience the promise of what it is to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).  We don't really know the fullness of discipleship.  Our faith engages us as full, whole persons, created in God's image.  Without this spiritual understanding and engagement, we don't "get it."  We aren't fully there with Him.  Let us remember and rely on His promise and His indwelling, with us "always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.