On Wednesday 28 May, on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, the celebrations followed on one another for the solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus. From the early afternoon, the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land gathered in prayer in the place which holds the memory of this event. This year, the celebration took on an even deeper meaning, as the Custodial Vicar, Fra Ibrahim Faltas, stressed:

“We are witnesses of a sign of communion: all the Churches of Jerusalem are gathered and united in the celebration of the Ascension. It is a strong and prophetic sign, that reminds us that unity is possible and is a living witness of the Gospel in the heart of the Holy Land.”

The chapel of the Ascension 

The first shrine, probably dating back to the 4th century, was destroyed but the Crusaders rebuilt it with a small octagonal building (the edicule that we can still admire today), leaving the roof open. In 1198, when Salah al-Din bought it, the Muslims added a dome. Since then, the site has been the property of the Muslim waqf of Jerusalem and used as a mosque, even though no rites are celebrated there.

From the entrance of the Vicar to the Solemn Mass at dawn

The celebrations started in the early afternoon, with the solemn entrance of the Vicar in the Chapel of the Ascension. This was followed by the recital of Vespers, presided over by Fra Ibrahim and then the friars intoned in procession the litany of the saints, going around the Crusader edicule three times.

At night the vigil continued with the Office of the Readings, followed by the celebration of numerous Masses. At 5 in the morning, the solemn Eucharistic celebration was again presided over by Fra Ibrahim, in the open air and in front of a large group of faithful.

“Here, on the Mount of Olives, the place where Jesus ascended to heaven, our eyes look upwards, but our hearts remain anchored to the land, a land that is loved, wounded and waited for,” is how the Vicar began his homily.

The deep meaning of the feast-day

The solemnity of the Ascension has a deep meaning which profoundly touches all Christians.

“The Ascension is not only an event,” Fra Ibrahim continued, “it is a mystery that challenges us. It is the seal of Christ’s mission and, together, the starting point of the Church’s mission.  ‘Where I am, my servant will also be,’ he had said. The Ascension is promised: our humanity is called to heaven, our flesh is welcomed into the Trinity and our wounds are enveloped by eternal light.”

Looking at Gaza with solidarity 

Reflecting on suffering, at the time of liturgical joy, the Vicar’s thoughts turned to the dramatic reality in Gaza:

“Today, while the Gospel invites us to look towards the other, reality pulls us down. I am thinking of Gaza that has been destroyed […] and so, from this sacred high ground, we spontaneously ask: where is God when  man destroys what He has created?”

When pain and suffering seem to win, the vocation of every Christian is to bring Heaven to Earth, Fra Ibrahim emphasized.

“We are asked to bring heaven to the earth, to plant seeds of peace exactly where everything seems lost. Here, in the Holy Land, this call is more urgent than ever: going against the trend, choosing fraternity, looking for the other’s face even when it seems impossible. We have to work on seeking and building up unity.”

By Lucia Borgato | custodia

Source Link: https://www.custodia.org/en/news/the-ascension-of-the-lord-celebration/