Friday of the 6th week of Eastertide
First reading Acts 18:9-18
The Solemnity of the Ascension reminds us that Christ’s return to the Father is not a farewell, but a deeper immersion of His presence into the life of the Church. In the reading from Acts, we see Paul in Corinth, vulnerable yet open, when the Lord appears to him in a vision and says: “Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you.” This divine assurance echoes the promise given at the moment of the Ascension—“I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Though Christ is no longer visible to the eyes, He is intimately present to our hearts, strengthening us for mission. The Ascension is not a withdrawal, but a transition: Jesus ascends not to distance Himself, but to send His Spirit and to remain mysteriously but truly close to each believer. In a world filled with noise, fear, and opposition, the risen and ascended Christ calls us, as He called Paul, to courageous proclamation. We are not meant to retreat into silence or self-preservation, but to speak truth with love, to evangelize with boldness, and to walk the difficult roads of witness, knowing that He walks with us. His Ascension does not end the story—it empowers it to begin anew in every generation, through the words and lives of faithful disciples who trust in His unseen nearness. Let’s reflect: The Ascension calls us to courage: to speak boldly, to love without fear, and to trust that His invisible presence is stronger than any earthly resistance.
Don Giorgio