Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 24, 46-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually in the temple praising God.
God blesses you
1. Jerusalem. That’s the place which marks pain, passion, death; it’s the place where Jesus suffered and was crucified. Today there can be three types of ‘Jerusalem’ in you:
A Jerusalem Person. There are people who make you feel as if you were dead, who make you suffer. People whom you have to bear in your life as Jesus bore the cross.
A Jerusalem Place. Certain places may trigger painful memories, and you feel you can’t go there. These places have marked your life. They symbolize distress and lead to unhappiness and pain.
A Jerusalem Moment. There are times in life when you feel deep anguish, similar to what Jesus experienced on the Mount of Olives. These moments can make everything seem dark and uncertain.
What kind of Jerusalem are you facing today?
2. Bethany. It’s the place of friendship, where Jesus shared beautiful moments with his friends, with Lazarus, Martha and Mary. It was a place of rest for Him, where He could be Himself. That’s the place He chose to return to his Father. Today, God teaches us that when we go through a ‘Jerusalem’, we must return to our ‘Bethany’ for reflection and strength. If today you are going through a ‘Jerusalem’, look for your ‘Bethany’ to move forward. If you are experiencing challenges, seek out a place or people who offer support and peace, who encourage you and lighten your load. Your ‘Bethany’ refers to those people with whom you can have meaningful conversations and feel at ease, just being yourself or it could be somewhere that brings peace and helps you reconnect with yourself, filled with positive memories or simply inspiring you to continue on. Your ‘Bethany’ will give you strength to persevere along your path to Heaven.
3. He blessed them. Jesus blessed them before ascending to Heaven. Jesus blessed those who walked with Him on earth for three years, despite them leaving Him during His hardest time. To bless means to wish well and Jesus gave them His peace for all that was to come. In spite of what may happen, whatever it may be, Christians should always wish others well, avoiding resentment and evil desires. Aim for good, and God will bless you eternally, as Heaven is our goal.
Never forget that something good is on the way.
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
