Answers to God's Mysteries
By Cicily Sunny
(Continued)

Jesus Blesses Bread and wine

By reading about the Last Supper in the Bible, it seems like that was the only time Jesus blessed bread and wine and gave it to the apostles. Indeed he did it several times during his ministry, especially during the last year of his public life. Even on the day of his ascension Jesus blessed bread and wine and gave it to his apostles. At the end he always said, "Do this in memory of me." Each time he assured his apostles that whenever they repeated it for his memory, he would be present among them.

Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus

After his resurrection, he appeared to his mother first before appearing to the women disciples at the tomb. Later, he appeared to several people who loved him, individually and in groups, and said everything he could say including future evangelization, his ascension, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and his second coming. In Volume 5, Chapter 634 the farewell and ascension of the Lord is explained in seventeen pages. It opens with Jesus and Mary walking along the slopes of Gethsemane with indescribable love and reciprocal contemplation. Jesus opens his arms and presses his mother to his chest. Love overflows in a shower of kisses for the beloved mother. Love covers the beloved son with kisses. Finally the Woman, as a creature, kneels at the feet of her God, who is also her son, and her Son, who is God, imposes his hands on the head of the Virgin Mother, of the Eternal Beloved, and blesses her in the name of the Father, of the Son and the of the Holy Spirit, and then he bends and lifts her up, with a last kiss on her forehead. Although their eyes are shining with the natural tears of those who depart from their beloved ones, their lips smile out of joy knowing that this beloved is going to the abode befitting his glory. 

Jesus meets with his apostles in the supper room provided by Lazarus and says his last words, "The hour has come when I have to leave you to go back to my Father. Listen to the last words of your master. Do not go away from Jerusalem during these days….Remain there during these days and pray assiduously to be prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will complete you for your mission. Remember that I, although I was God, prepared myself with severe penance for my ministry of evangelizer. Your preparation will be easier and easier and shorter and shorter. But I do not exact anything else from you. It is sufficient that you pray assiduously, together with the seventy two and under the guide of my mother, whom I entrust to you with the concern of a son. She will be for you a mother and teacher of love and perfect wisdom….Remain here until Jerusalem repudiates you as it repudiated me, and hates my church as it hated me, brooding over plots to exterminate it. Then take the see of this beloved church of mine elsewhere, because it must not perish. I tell you: not even hell shall prevail against it….The Spirit of God will lead you. Be not afraid. "

"For a time being, hold the first meeting of the believers in Jerusalem. Then more meetings will take place as their numbers grow. I truly tell you that the citizens of my Kingdom will increase all over the Earth….Go in my name to evangelize the peoples as far as the ends of the Earth. God be with you. May His love comfort you, may His light guide you, may His peace dwell in you until you reach eternal life."

Hundreds of people watch his ascension. He climbs farther up, as far as the highest summit of the mountain, the one closer to Bethany. Close to him are his mother, the apostles, Lazarus, the shepherds, and Marjiam. Farther away, in a semicircle, are the other disciples to hold the people back. He becomes transfigured in beauty, more handsome than when he was on Tabor. They all fall on their knees worshipping. He looks once again for the face of his mother, and his smile reaches a power that no one will ever be able to express. It is his last goodbye to his mother.

He ascends to Heaven and displays his glorious wounds that shine like living rubies. Creation sparkles in the light of the Christ who is ascending, a light exceeding that of the sun. A light descends from Heaven to meet the light ascending to it. He disappears from the sight of men in this ocean of brightness. His mother does not cry at this glorious moment of departure.

Next Topic: Jesus and Lazarus

[Answers to God's Mysteries - Home]