ACC ~ Luke 24 v44 - 49

JESUS RECALLS HIS PREDICTIONS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: When he restrained their thoughts by what he said, by the touch of their hands and by sharing food, he then opened their minds to understand that he had to suffer, even on the wood of the cross. The Lord reminds the disciples of what he said. He had forewarned them of his sufferings on the cross, according to what the prophets had long before spoken. He also opens the eyes of their hearts for them to understand the ancient prophecies. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, CHAPTER 24. [1]

[1] CGSL 620*.

THE FAITH OF ALL THE ELECT IS THE SAME

BEDE: When he was about to ascend into heaven, our Lord first took care to instruct his disciples diligently concerning the mystery of faith in him. They might therefore preach it with greater certainty to the world, because they had received it from the mouth of Truth himself and recognized that the words of the prophets had long ago foreshadowed it. He appeared to them after the triumph of his resurrection, according to what we heard just now when the Gospel was read. He said, “These are the words which I spoke to you when I was still with you.” That means, “When I still had a corruptible and mortal body like yours.” “Everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” He said that he fulfilled the mysteries which Moses, the prophets and the psalms proclaimed. It is perfectly evident that the church is one in all its saints and that the faith of all the chosen is the same, of those who preceded and who followed his coming in the flesh. We are saved through faith in his incarnation, passion and resurrection that have been accomplished. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 11.15. [1]

[1] CS 111:135**.

CHRIST TALKS ABOUT THE CHURCH

AUGUSTINE: What did he tell them from the Scriptures? He said, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” The disciples could not see this. They could see Christ talking about the church that would be. When Christ said something they could not see, they believed him. They could see the head, but they could not yet see the body. We can see the body, but we believe about the head. They are two: husband and wife, head and body, Christ and the church. He showed himself to the disciples and promised them the church. He showed us the church and ordered us to believe about himself. The apostles saw one thing, but they did not see the other. We also see one thing and do not see the other. Having the head there with them, they believed about the body. Having the body here with us, we should believe about the head. SERMON 229I.1. [1]

[1] WSA 3 6:301**.

THE NECESSARY SEQUENCE

BEDE: The disciples learned that their Maker subjected himself to countless kinds of abuses at the hands of the wicked and even to the sentence of death for their salvation. This effectively stirred them up to tolerate adversities of every kind for their salvation. They remembered that through his sacraments they had been cleansed, sanctified and united to the body of him who, when he had tasted death for them, presented an example of a speedy rising from death. For what other reason might they more fittingly receive the hope of their own resurrection?

“It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,” he said, “and for you to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name among all nations.” There was certainly a necessary sequence. First, Christ had to shed his blood for the redemption of the world. Then, through his resurrection and ascension, he opened to human beings the gate of the heavenly kingdom. Last, he sent those who would preach to all nations throughout the world the word of life and administer the sacraments of faith. By these sacraments, they could be saved and arrive at the joys of the heavenly fatherland, with the human being Jesus Christ. He is the very mediator between God and human beings [1] working with them. He lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 11.9. [2]

[1] 1 Tim 2:5.

[2] CS 111:86-87**.

PROCLAMATION BEGINS AT PENTECOST

AUGUSTINE: The Lord did not only shed his blood, but he also applied his death to the preparation of the cure. He rose again to present us with a sample of resurrection. He suffered with patience all his own to teach us the patience we should have. In his resurrection, he showed us the reward of patience. As you know and we all confess, he ascended into heaven, and then he sent the Holy Spirit as he had previously promised. You remember that he said to his disciples, “Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” His promise came true. The Holy Spirit came, he filled the disciples, and they started speaking with the tongues of all nations. A sign of unity was enacted in them. One person spoke then in all languages, because the unity of the church was going to speak in all languages. SERMON 175.3. [1]

[1] WSA 3 5:266-67**.

PREACHING OF REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS BEGINS IN JERUSALEM

BEDE: The preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins through confession of Christ’s name appropriately started from Jerusalem. The first root of faith in him would be brought out where the splendor of his teaching and virtues, the triumph of his passion, the joy of his resurrection and ascension were accomplished. The first shoot of the blooming church, like some kind of great vine, would be planted. By an increase in the spreading of the Word, the church would extend the branches of its teaching into the whole wide world. The prophecy of Isaiah would be brought to fulfillment. He said, “The law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and he will judge the nations and convict many peoples.” [1] It was appropriate that the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins, good news to be proclaimed to idolatrous nations and those defiled by various evil deeds, should start from Jerusalem. Perhaps some of the nations, thoroughly terrified by the magnitude of Jerusalem’s offenses, might doubt the possibility of obtaining pardon if it performed fruits worthy of repentance. [2] He granted pardon even to those at Jerusalem who had blasphemed and crucified the Son of God. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 11.15. [3]

[1] Is 2:3-4.

[2] Mt 3:8; Lk 3:8.

[3] CS 111:137-38**.

JESUS GIVES THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Savior promises the disciples the descent of the Holy Spirit, which God announced of old by Joel. [1] He also promises power from above, so that they might be strong, invincible and fearlessly preach the divine mystery to people everywhere.

He says to them that they received the Spirit after the resurrection, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” [2] He adds, “Wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” [3] It will not be in water any longer, because they already had received that, but it will be with the Holy Spirit. He does not add water to water but completes that which was deficient by adding what it lacked. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, CHAPTER 24. [4]

[1] Joel 2:28.

[2] Jn 20:22.

[3] Acts 1:4-5.

[4] CGSL 620**.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GIVE THEM POWER

BEDE: He said, “You are witnesses of these things. And I send upon you the promise of my Father.” He calls the gift of the Holy Spirit “the promise of his Father.” … He added something about their promised waiting when he said, “Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” He pledged that power would come down upon them from on high, because although they already possessed the Holy Spirit, they received him more fully once Christ ascended into heaven. Even before his passion, by the power of the Holy Spirit they were casting out many demons, healing many sick persons and preaching the word of life to whom they could. [1] Once he had risen from the dead, they were especially refreshed by the grace of the same Spirit. John writes, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” [2] He clothed them with his greater virtue from on high when they received him in fiery tongues ten days after the Lord’s ascension. [3] They were inflamed with such great assurance of strength that any threats from the rulers could not prevent them from speaking to everyone in the name of Jesus. [4] HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 11.15. [5]

[1] Mt 10:1; Mk 3:7, 15; Lk 9:1-2, 6.

[2] Jn 20:22-23.

[3] Acts 2:2-3.

[4] Acts 4:18-21.

[5] CS 111:138-39**.

CLOTHED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH

AUGUSTINE: There is still more for you to hear. He ascends into heaven, accompanied by the eyes of the disciples gazing after him. He lets them observe it, and he makes them witnesses. … They certainly saw, touched and felt him. They confirmed their faith by looking at him and touching him. They accompanied him with their gaze as he ascended into heaven. With attentive ears, they heard the angel’s voice assuring them and foretelling that Christ would come again.

All these things were completed for them. Neither sight alone nor handling of the Lord’s limbs was still enough to ensure that they would become witnesses of Christ and bravely endure everything for the preaching of the truth, fighting against falsehood even to the shedding of their blood. Who gave them such a capability? Listen to the Lord himself. “Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” “You have seen and touched, but you are still not able to preach and die for what you have seen and touched, until you are clothed with power from on high. Let human beings go now and attribute it to their own powers, if they can do anything. There was Peter, and he had not yet been confirmed in the rock. He had not yet been clothed with power from on high, because”nobody can receive anything, unless it has been given him from heaven.” [1] SERMON 265D.6. [2]

[1] Jn 3:27.

[2] WSA 3 7:258**.