Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...

And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. (Matt. 28:16-20.)

This is another last word to all mankind. When and whence Jesus ascended, we do not know; perhaps from the same place, from the Mount of Beatitudes, where he began to proclaim to people the kingdom of God.

… And he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

And when he was blessing them, he began to depart from them and ascend to heaven. (Luke 24:50-51.)

Slowly moving away, he still blesses them; they still see His face. But further, farther on, and they no longer see, they see only a diminishing body – as if a child – a baby – a dove – a butterfly – a midge – and completely disappeared. But they still stare intently, greedily into the empty sky, searching with their eyes in the void.

In the same intent, greedy way we gaze into the empty sky, but where for them the last point of His ascending body has disappeared, for us the first point of His descending body will appear; he moved away from them – he draws closer to us; There was a separation - there will be a date.

XV

It is impossible to end the Blessed News with better words than those with which Matthew ends. Let us also conclude our book about how Jesus the Unknown lived, died and rose again with these words.

behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.

Notes

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