Gospel Reflection June 1 – Deacon Stephen Petrill
Sunday, June 1
Seventh Sunday of Easter
John 17: 20-26
Gospel:
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
“Holy Father, I pray not only for them,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”
Gospel Reflection:
This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. In preparing for this reflection, I was drawn to a sermon from an earlier Pope Leo (St. Pope Leo the Great, who lived in the 5th century). He emphasized the continuity between Christ’s earthly ministry and His heavenly reign, presenting the Ascension not as a departure, but as a transformation of presence. Christ’s ascension into heaven, Leo argues, is not a loss for the disciples but a deepening of faith, as they are now called to recognize God’s presence spiritually and in the Sacraments. This shift challenges us to mature in our faith and to trust in the unseen yet enduring presence of Christ in the world and in the Church’s teachings.
Leo also underscores the dignity and destiny of humanity revealed in the Ascension. By taking his human nature into heaven, Christ elevates all of humanity, affirming the value of human life and its capacity for divine union. This inspires us to moral and spiritual growth, and to accept the grace we are given to ascend with the Lord. The Ascension, then, becomes not just a celebration of Christ’s triumph, but also a call for us to strive toward holiness and to live with a sense of eternal purpose.
Finally, Leo’s sermon emphasizes the role of the Church in continuing Christ’s mission. The Apostles are sent forth after the Ascension, not in despair, but with confidence, empowered by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Leo sees this moment as foundational for the Church’s identity: the Body of Christ on earth, entrusted with proclaiming the Gospel and extending the Kingdom of God.
His words encourage the Church and all of us individually to be a visible sign of the invisible grace Christ continues to bestow, serving as a reminder that the Ascension marks not an end, but a new beginning for the life of faith.
Deacon Stephen Petrill
