In the gospel reading for The Ascension of Our Lord, Jesus’ parting words could not be clearer, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald. He says nothing about looking after ourselves or assuring us that we will feel him or God or the Holy Spirit close to us. Instead, he urges the disciples, and us, their successors, to get out there and be good news to everyone we encounter.

Today’s gospel reading opens with a simple, clear, direct and unqualified statement from Jesus: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The only way in which we can demonstrate our love for God and Jesus in a world filled with billions of people, all loved into life by God and all created in the image of God, is to love without reservation every person we encounter, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

Today’s gospel reading gives us an account of Jesus seeking to reassure those who were near and dear to him, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald. What he said left them very upset, and, probably, experiencing a whole range of feelings - confusion, fear, disappointment, panic, grief, emptiness, just to name a few of the possibilities. If they were shaken by the revelation that he was soon to die a violent death at the hands of those they all knew were intent on getting rid of him, they must have been shaken to the core at his announcement that he would be betrayed by one of the twelve whom he himself had selected to work with him, and that the one whom he had appointed to succeed him would soon disown him. Yet, without any hint of recrimination, blame or hostility, he calmly encouraged them to quell their fears and to trust in the goodness, compassion and love of the God about whom he had taught them so much.

As I ponder today’s gospel and the psalm following the first reading (Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd psalm), I am challenged to ask where I situate myself in the story, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald. The gospel reading concludes with Jesus proclaiming: “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10, 10). The life that Jesus speaks about and that John writes about in his Gospel is not the life which we envisage comes after we die. It is life right here and now, the life that our relationship with Jesus fills us with, the life we give to one another in our families, communities, friendships and work teams, it is the life we infuse into others as we encourage and affirm them.

We, like the disciples on the Road to Emmaeus, can be deaf and blind to what others, including Jesus, want to bring to our notice. Sunday’s gospel serves to remind us of that, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald..