Ascension of Our Lord

shared by Ilarion Marr

The Ascension of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - on the 40th day after Pascha - Thursday June 13, 2013

From the 'Law of God' - compiled by Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy - First English Edition - published by the Printshop of Saint Job of Pochaev, Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY 1996 

page 378 and available at Holy Trinity Church, Astoria NY - see Matushka Irina Dutikow. 

When the day of the Jewish Pentecost drew near, the disciples of Christ returned from Galilee to Jerusalem. 

On the fortieth day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ they were all together in one house.  Jesus Christ appeared to them and spoke with them saying, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover." 

Then the Saviour said to the disciples that soon the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and until that time He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem.  He said, "I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high; for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

Conversing with the disciples, the Saviour led them out of the city as far as Bethany, to the Mount of Olives.  The disciples, overjoyed with the words of the Saviour, surrounded Him and started to ask, "Lord will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?" 

The Saviour said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority.  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you  shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." 

When he had said this, Jesus Christ lifted up His hands and blessed His disciples.  While He blessed them, He parted from them and He was lifted up to Heaven, and soon a cloud took Him out of their sight.   

Thus our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ascended in His physical body to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father.  His human soul and body took on the invisible glory with His divinity.  In His divinity, He always is and will be in Heaven and everywhere.   

The disciples worshipped the ascended Lord and for a long time continued to stand and gaze into Heaven after Him.  Then two angels in white robes appeared before them and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into Heaven?  This Jesus, Who was taken up from you into Heaven, will come to earth in the same way (that is, in the flesh), as you saw Him go into Heaven.  

After this the disciples of Jesus Christ returned to Jerusalem with great joy and stayed there together, awaiting the descent of the Holy Spirit.  All of them, together in soul, spent the time in prayer and were continually in the Temple of God, praising and thanking God.  With them were several women and Mary, the Most-holy Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, with their relatives.  

In those days the apostles, prayerfully, by casting lots, chose from among the other disciples of Christ the twelfth apostle, Matthias, to take the place of Judas, the betrayer, who perished. 

Ascended to Heaven, Jesus Christ, according to His own promise, invisibly always comes to earth among those who believe in Him and will come again to earth in a visible form to judge the living and the dead, who will then rise from the dead.  After this will begin the life of the next age, another, eternal life which for true believers and pious people will be completely blessed, but for disbelievers and sinners will be a time of great torment.

**Prayer Before Reading Scripture:

O Lord Jesus Christ, open Thou the eyes of my heart, that I may hear Thy word and understand and do Thy will, for I am a sojourner upon the earth. Hide not Thy commandments from me, but open mine eyes, that I may receive the wonders of Thy law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom. On Thee do I set my hope, O my God, that Thou shalt enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of Thy knowledge, not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them; that in reading the lives and sayings of the saints I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration, enlightenment and sanctification, for the salvation of my soul, and the inheritance of life everlasting. For Thou art the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from Thee cometh every good deed and every gift. Amen

Saint John Chrysostom**

The Gospel Reading for Matins, Wednesday evening June 12:

Saint Mark 16:9-20

King James Version (KJV 1611)

9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

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And for Thursday June 13 Divine Liturgy:

The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:

Acts 1:1-12

King James Version (KJV 1611)

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

The Holy Gospel according to: 

Saint Luke 24:36-53

King James Version (KJV 1611)

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.

40 And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43 And He took it, and did eat before them.

44 And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

50 And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51 And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into Heaven.

52 And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. 

Troparion:

Thou didst ascend into glory, O Christ our God, 

having gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; 

and they were assured by the blessing 

that Thou art the Son of God, 

the Redeemer of the world.