94. SERMON OF PATRIARCH MOSES ON ASCENSION DAY, 08.06.2008
The Feast of he Ascension of the Lord
In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit!
Christ is ascended!
Today we celebrate the Fear of the Ascension of Christ. It's really important for all Christians event which provides evidence of Christ's Resurrection. If the apostles had not seen the process of resurrection, the appearing of the Risen Jesus they saw. And we read today in the Holy Gospel (Luke, XXIV: 36-53) the testimony of the Apostles, how He appeared coming through the door, how they became scared because they thought that was a ghost.
Remember there is written that He said: "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?" It means, He said: "Why are you afraid of me, I am not a ghost. I have body, bones, touch me"- which meant that they really touched him. "For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And then he sees that they cannot come round and feels their astonishment: how t can be that He came to us through door, He was killed, and we saw it. And to calm them, he says: "Have you anything here to eat?" - and they gave Him bread and fish.
He did not need that food, as well as Archangel Raphael, who appeared to Tobit and Tobias, pretended that he was eating like as a human. So Jesus was like eating the food and talked with the apostles. He explained that this had to happen according to the Holy Scripture: "...Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." It means, He said: "Go along the whole world go, starting with the Holy Jerusalem, go to Ukraine (then Scythia), go to India. Go everywhere you can walk and preach this Truth.
Be My witnesses. Witnesses of crucifixion and witnesses of resurrection of the Lord. And now they become witnesses of His Ascension. They went on Mount of Olives and the Lord blessing them, said: "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" (Matthew, ÕÕV²²²; 19).
The same refers to us because we already know more than others know. And we know simple, necessary things, know the strongest prayer - a Trisagion prayer, "Glorification of God for all", "God, give me forgiveness and love." These prayers will lead people through all trials of life, so that the forces of hell will not overcome them. That is, you already know about Guardian angel, you have experienced a lot in your souls through prayers, which give you the opportunity to feel the Kingdom of God, the kingdom of joy and warmth, approaching. Such, as our today's Liturgy gave you the opportunity to feel the God's blessing. Maybe someone has come for the first time, he will totally agree with me that he has felt such a prayer for the first time. To come in an ordinary building and feel as if in heavens or on earth you do not know. As you feel no longer that you are in the room, you feel that you are really with angels of God, with God Himself.
And before His Ascension, the Lord says goodbye to the apostles, blesses them. He also blesses us with His angels. Blesses us, our Ukraine, our children.
Christ is ascended!
Apostle (Acts, 1:1-12):
1
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that
Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given
commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by
many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the
kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart
from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said,
"you heard from me;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with
the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will
you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or
seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold,
two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into
heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the
same way as you saw him go into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called
Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
Gospel (Luke, 24: 36-53):
24
36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself
stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"
37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw
a spirit.
38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do
doubts arise in your hearts?
39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me,
and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I
have."
40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and
his feet.
41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were
marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
43 and he took it and ate before them.
44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to
you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law
of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ
should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be
proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
49 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."
50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his
hands he blessed them.
51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried
up into heaven.
52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with
great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
