In today's Gospel passage the disciples meet Jesus for the first time after his resurrection. It is interesting to note that Jesus arranged to meet them in Galilee, the place they had met a few years before when they decided to be his followers. It is there Jesus began his ministry.

 It must have been a meeting filled with mixed emotions – joy, fear, shame, uncertainty and doubt.

Jesus is moving on, he is going back to the Father and he is commissioning his disciples to continue the work he started with them . “ Go, make disciples of all nations, ” he says, “ baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, even to the end of time. ”

Jesus' Ascension was both an end and a beginning for his disciples. The end of his physical appearance, and the beginning of a new presence – Jesus now has a different relationship with them, they no longer see him but he is present in the values he has left – “ teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. ” When this happens Jesus is present and so we know that he is with us always, “ yes, even to the end of time. ” 

Have you ever wondered how you came to be such a good mother, teacher or cook? Recently a group of teachers were talking about the good values they had learnt from past teachers and principals. Values they still hold on to because they believe in them and so in turn they pass them on to their charges.

The school is characterized by these values of good discipline, truth and honesty. Although the teachers are no longer there - they have ascended – they are present in the values they bequeathed and like Jesus, they say, “I am with you always. ”

Have you ever been on a river “lime” and bathed in the clean refreshing waters, or admired the variety of greens of the majestic mountains, or have you just sat on the seashore and enjoyed the scenery? Wouldn't it be great to pass this legacy on to those who are coming after us so that they too can enjoy the earth?

Have you ever wondered why our world is so sick – immense poverty, crime, wars and hardships of various kinds? Could it be that we did not teach others to observe the commands Jesus gave us?

These are some of the thoughts that came to mind as I reflected on this passage. I thought of how wonderful it would be if only we pass on the good that we learn and if only we take care of our environment we would create a healthy earth and others after us will be able to enjoy our rivers and beaches and all there is on the earth.

Lord, we pray for all those who are in authority – teachers, parents, and especially mothers on this Mother's Day. They teach their children to observe all the commands you gave. Help them to know that the good values their children learn from them will be passed on to others and that they will be with them always.

Lord, when we are traumatized by the events of life:

– illness

– crime

– abuse

– poverty

– separation from our loved ones

Send us Jesus who will meet us in Galilee and assure us that he will be with us always, to the end of time.

Lord, our earth is ill. There is so much poverty, and abuse of the environment that we often feel helpless. For this we ask your pardon. Like the eleven disciples we too set out for Galilee to meet you. Open our hearts to hear you say, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, make disciples of all nations”.

Lord, We thank you for teachers, leaders and other persons who have touched our lives and the lives of others by their goodness, graciousness, their commitment to duty and integrity.

By their example they have “made disciples of all nations and they have taught them to observe all the commands you gave.” Like Jesus we know they are with us always, even to the end of time.

Today's Gospel Meditation is by Bernadette Salandy, a teacher at Mucurapo Girls' RC and a member of the Movement for a Better World. Bernadette is a parishioner at the Church of the Nativity, Crystal Stream.