As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven

12 MAY (Lk 24,46-53)

The Ancient Scripture knows only two cases of kidnapping with God. However, they are mysterious events, with a difficult interpretation. The first relates to Enoch, the second Elijah.

When Enoch was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch lived three hundred years after the birth of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. The whole lifetime of Enoch was three hundred and sixty-five years. Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him (Gen 5,21-24). Enoch walked with the Lord and was taken up, that succeeding generations might learn by his example (Sir 44,16). By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and “he was found no more because God had taken him.” Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11,5-6).

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. “Stay here, please,” Elijah said to Elisha. “The Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,” Elisha replied, “I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel, where the guild prophets went out to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master from over you today?” “Yes, I know it,” he replied. “Keep still.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, Elisha, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.” “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,” Elisha replied, “I will not leave you.” They went on to Jericho, where the guild prophets approached Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master from over you today?” “Yes, I know it,” he replied. “Keep still.” Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here; the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.” “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live,” Elisha replied, “I will not leave you.” And so the two went on together. Fifty of the guild prophets followed, and when the two stopped at the Jordan, stood facing them at a distance. Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water, which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of your spirit.” “You have asked something that is not easy,” he replied. “Still, if you see me taken up from you, your wish will be granted; otherwise not.” As they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. When Elisha saw it happen he cried out, “My father! my father! Israel’s chariots and drivers!” But when he could no longer see him, Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two. Then he picked up Elijah’s mantle which had fallen from him, and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan. (2Kings 2,1-13).

The mystery that today is fulfilled in Jesus Christ is pure, clear and luminous. Risen Jesus with his spiritual, incorruptible, immortal and glorious body, escapes the sight of his disciples; however, always remaining with them, among theim. Today, Jesus is the Invisible Present. He is the Universal Present. He is personally with each of his disciples. He is always everything in everyone with everyone. He is Undivided and Indivisible. The resurrection conferred on him the dimension of the spirit which is all, always, in every place, at the same time.

And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And (behold) I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them (out) as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

Today, Jesus is more present to us than when he was with his body of flesh on our earth. Then, if it was in a place he could not be in another. If talked with a person he could not talk to another. The limit of the real body is just that. On the contrary, today he is in a place and in all places; he is with one person and with all the people who call upon his name. Jesus is the Particular and the Universal together. Everyone can say Jesus is All and All for me. He does not have to share him with anyone. This mystery is really great. However, we have trivialized, almost eliminated him from our lives. Often our everyday life is made without him. Yet He is all for us.
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints renovate us in our faith in Jesus.