the great commission

Forty days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Church celebrates his Ascension in to Heaven.  Before his departure, Jesus gave his disciples one last command, the Great Commission: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28:19).  We also read in the Acts of the Apostles that our Lord tells his disciples, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).  

Reading through the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we hear how they effectively  witnessed their faith and gained many more disciples to believe in Jesus Christ. We also hear how some responses to their witness were not always well received.  The Apostles were put into prison, and often times they were beaten and tortured to try to stop them from giving this witness.  
 
There was something to their witness that shook people up. It made them uncomfortable because it put into question their way of living, evaluating what is right and what is wrong.  And so, they were beaten and tortured, and put into prison, to stop their witnessing of Jesus Christ.
 
How were the Apostles able to persevere? Why were they so compelled to give witness, despite all the threats and persecution they got from the people? They were able to persevere because they witnessed the Resurrection.  The Resurrection of Jesus Christ changed them so much they didn’t care what happened to them because the most important thing for them was to preach the truth of Jesus Christ, which brought them real freedom and joy to their lives.

And thank God for their witness because it gives us the opportunity today to come together as a Church giving our own praise and thanksgiving to God. But in order for the next generations to know the same joy and freedom that the truth of Jesus Christ brings, we have to be the ones who are the witnesses today, being just as compelled to preach the truth of Jesus Christ.  We are the ones to carry on the Great Commission.
 
We say we believe in Jesus’ Resurrection, that he ascended into Heaven, that we believe God is truly present with us, that it really is the body of Jesus Christ that we receive every time we go to Mass.  And so, let what we believe urge us to be those witnesses so that others can know the real freedom and joy that the truth of Jesus Christ brings.