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Week 5: The Ascension
- Welcome
For the small groups meeting over the internet, it’s good to start off with a few minutes checking in and greeting each other.- Begin with a prayer
In your own words, you can thank God for this opportunity to read his Word, and ask him to guide our reflection on Holy Scripture and our discussion together.- Scripture to read and discuss: Acts 1:1-14
In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.
When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.- Discussion / Reflection:
(Please note, these are meant as a tool to start fruitful discussion. In a small group with great participation you may not get to all the questions. Discussion time should be about 30 minutes in length.)- What was happening during the forty days after Easter? How was it a special time of preparation for the apostles?
- What is the “promise of the Father” that Jesus refers to?
- Jesus returned to heaven. Why do you think he didn’t just stay on earth and continue to lead the apostles, or continue his ministry as before?
- Jesus had a plan for the apostles, but it was hard for them to understand at first. Jesus has a plan for each of us, too. Can you identify a time in your life that Jesus’ plan was able to play out in your own life?
- Jesus calls the apostles to be his witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then throughout Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. What insights can we gain from this, as regards our mission as followers of Christ?
- In the upper room, the disciples gathered and prayed together. What communities of people do you gain strength from being with? What can be some of the gifts of the time together?
- For the week:
Prayerfully read chapters 12-14 of Acts. Consider:- How would you have felt in Peter’s place, arrested and waiting trial, after your fellow apostle and friend James had just been executed by King Herod?
- As Paul and Barnabas preach the Gospel, do they experience one success after another? Is it only joy, or do they also experience many sufferings? How can they be a model for you?
Why not spend time in daily prayer this week, building a new habit or increase one that has already started, developing it further? Quiet yourself, ask for the Lord to be present with you, talk to the Lord, listen in silence, and be thankful!- Close with a prayer
In small group, were there any intentions? This would be a good time to lift up those intentions and ask for the strength of the Holy Spirit as we respond to being part of our parish community.
Extra Note from Father Andrew:
How amazing it would have been to experience these forty days with the apostles! We are not told details of the special proofs, instructions, and teachings that Jesus was giving them. I imagine that he was helping fill in the blanks of the things they still did not get, helping a lot of “light bulbs” turn on, so that they would be ready for the mission of being his witnesses to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) The mission is also described by Jesus as he gives the “Great Commission” at the end of Matthew’s Gospel (Matt 28:16-20). Thanks to the apostles being faithful to this mission, we know Christ today and are blessed to be members of the spiritual family he started through them, the Catholic Church. And we are still called to share Christ and be his witnesses, in our own ways.