Lectio Divina, Ascension Sunday

Writings of the fathers of the Church, Mt 28:16-20, Ascension Sunday

The Venerable Bede (672/3-735): He goes before His disciples into Galilee, because “Christ is risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that slept” (1 Cor 15:20). And they that are Christ’s follow Him, and pass in their order from death to life, contemplating Him as He appears with His proper Divinity.

Remigius of Auxerre, 841-908: The disciples then, when they saw Him, knew the Lord; and worshipped Him, bowing their faces to the ground. And He their affectionate and merciful Master, that He might take away all doubtfulness from their hearts, coming to them, strengthened them in their belief; as it follows, And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
St. Jerome (340/2-420): He then who promises that He will be with His disciples to the end of the world, shows both that they shall live forever, and that He will never depart from those that believe.

Pope St. Leo the Great (c.400-461): Serm., 72, 3: For by ascending into heaven He does not desert His adopted; but from above strengthens to endurance, those whom He invites upwards to glory. Of which glory may Christ make us partakers, Who is the King of glory, “God blessed for ever,” AMEN.