ASCENSION

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST - AL 34

The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ / AL 34 [Poem Chapter 634]

357. E June, Thu Ascension Day. It is Not for You to Know the Hour.
---- ---- ---- Ac 1:4 8 634b/p.869
Ten days later at Gethsemane: The final tender and moving farewell to Mary. They enter
the house, Mary withdraws and Jesus is left with the eleven. They eat together. Then Jesus
says they are not to leave Jerusalem but to reside at the house of the Last Supper. Lazarus has
given this house to them for their meetings and for prayer. Jesus explains that the Church
must be birthed in Jerusalem, but after being fully rejected, the See of His Church must be
taken elsewhere, to the “Ephraim,” the land of idols and heathens; not the Ephraim of
Palestine, He says, but to the Ephraim that is “the heart of the world.” This was an obvious
reference to Rome.

358. E June, Thu Go and Teach All Nations. I Am With You until the End of the Age.
Mt 28:19,20,18 Mk 16:19,20 Lk 24:50-53 Ac 1:9-12 634b/p.872
Same day and still in the house in Gethsemane: Jesus continues His instruction,
“Establish meetings where men meet in My name; baptizing peoples in the name of The Most
Holy Name of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Spirit... teaching what I taught you, doing
what I ordered you to do. And I shall be with you every day until the end of the world.” Jesus
then appoints James as head of the Jerusalem Church and emphasizes that love, suffering and
forgiveness are the only way to establish His Kingdom. After a final Eucharistic celebration,
they leave the house to meet the outer circle of close disciples, including Stephen, to whom
He imparts special blessings. As He ascends the Mount of Olives, there are hundreds of
disciples who follow at a distance. He climbs to the very summit of the mountain closest to
Bethany. His last words are, “Go! Go in My name to evangelize the peoples as far as the ends
of the earth. God be with you. May His Love comfort you, may His Light guide you, may
His Peace dwell in you until you reach eternal life.” With a last tender loving look to His
Mother, Jesus ascends into the Heavens in an ocean of brilliant light. (Mk 16:15 is also found
in this Chapter of The Poem. See also Gospel episode # 357.)
634/p.865 - Farewell and Ascension of the Lord. (Gospel Episodes 357. and 358.)

359. E-M June The Purchase of the Field of Blood.

Mt 27:6-10 ---- ---- ---- (635/p.878)
Jewish authorities buy a field with Judas’ blood money.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit / AL 34 [Poem Chapters 635-637]

360. E-M June Matthias is Chosen to Fill the Apostolic Office.

----- ---- ---- Ac 1:13-26 635/p.878
In the house of the Upper Room, 10 days before Pentecost: For ten days the
Disciples give themselves to prayer. They follow the Lord’s instruction to find a replacement
for Judas Iscariot. Peter reports the facts about the purchase of the bloody field with Judas’
money recorded by Matthew in 27:6-10. They allow the divine choice of Mathias, one of the
original Bethlehem shepherds, a former devoted follower of John the Baptist and a faithful
witness for Christ, to be the twelfth Apostle.
635/p.878 - The Election of Matthias.

M JUNE, SUNDAY / PENTECOST / AL 34

361. M June, Sun The Coming of the Holy Spirit in tongues of Fire.
---- ---- ---- Ac 2:1 3 636/p.882
The Day of Pentecost (7 weeks after the Resurrection): All twelve of the Disciples
and Holy Mary are together in the Upper Room. Mary has just finished reading from the Old
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Testament Scriptures. She folds her hands and bows in prayer, as do the Disciples. A sound
from heaven like a strong wind fills the room. All the Disciples, except John, who has his
eyes glued on Mary, are frightened. Mary slides to her knees in prayer and both John and
Peter follow her, one on the right and the other on the left. A fiery burning globe descends
upon Mary and fills her. The fire then splits to light on each head of the Apostles. The
Apostles hurry outside and witness to the divine event.
636/p.882 - The Decent of the Holy Spirit. The End of the Messianic Cycle.

362. M June, Sun The Miracle of Tongues.

---- ---- ---- Ac 2:4 47 [-]
The same day in Jerusalem: The Apostles go out into the street and begin to preach
and witness to the thousands of Jews and Jewish proselytes who have come from all over the
known world for Pentecost. Three thousand are saved and filled with the Spirit at their
Baptism in response to the preaching of Peter and the Apostles.

637/p.886 (M June, AL 34) - Peter Celebrates the Eucharist in a Meeting of the First
Christians. The heart and soul of the Church then and today are identical.

The Church is Established / AL 34 to AL 55 [Poem Chapters 638-646]

638/p.890 (June/July AL 36) - The Blessed Virgin Takes up Her Abode at Gethsemane with
John, who foretells Her Assumption. Mary has been living in the city of Jerusalem at the
“Supper Room” house, now donated by Lazarus to the Church. Lazarus and Joseph of
Arimathea now visit Mary and inform her that the walls they began to build around the Olive
grove and Jonah’s house in the Garden of Gethsemane immediately after the crucifixion
(April 21) to keep out desecrators are now finished. Mary, explaining Her desire for total
solitude, is delighted that has been arranged and that John alone will be with Her.
John enters. Mary tells him of the change in residence and of Her joy to be able to live in
the Olive Garden, where Her Son ascended, as long as She lives. John affirms to her that he
does not believe she will die and explains the reasons. They discuss the subject at length.
John received his insights from the Holy Spirit.

639/p.896 (June/July, AL 36) - The Blessed Virgin and John in the Places of the Passion. Very
soon after moving to the Garden, Mary and John visit the scene of the Passion. At the place
of the kiss of betrayal, Mary, in the Spirit, speaks of Her place in overturning the order upset
by Eve. After a tearful visit to Golgotha, the Sepulcher and Joseph’s kitchen garden, they
return to Gethsemane after passing both the country house of Caiaphas, where Judas arranged
the betrayal, and the olive grove where Judas hanged himself.

640/p.900 (M July, AL 34) - The Two Shrouds of the Lord. It is a full moon night, so
Nicodemus, and Lazarus can visit Mary without lamp or torch, for they do not wish anyone to
notice them. They have the large Shroud (now called the Shroud of Turin) that Joseph had
taken from the Sepulcher and had hidden in Nicodemus’ house. Here, Gamaliel himself has
come to venerate the image and seek for the light he so deeply is regretting having missed
while Jesus was alive. They have debated among themselves whether they should give it to
Mary and only now had reached a conclusion. They would give Her this one, which was
Jesus resting in peace, and ask for the “veronica,” which was of Jesus’ tortured face.

363. AL 34 Peter Heals a Man Born Lame. Jerusalem

---- ---- ---- Ac 3:1-11 [-]

364. AL 34 Peter’s Second Message. Five Thousand Saved. Jerusalem, the Same Day:
---- ---- ---- Ac 3:12-26 [-]

365. AL 34 Peter’s Arrest, His Trial and Release. Jerusalem, Same Day.
---- ---- ---- Ac 4:1-23 [-]

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366. AL 34 The Praise and Prayer of the Early Church. Jerusalem.
---- ---- ---- Ac 4:24-37 [-]

367. AL 34 Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Holy Spirit. They are Judged.
---- ---- ---- Ac 5:1-16 [-]

368. AL 34 The Apostles Imprisoned. Their Release by the Angel. Gamaliel’s Warning
to the Sanhedrin.
---- ---- ---- Ac 5:17-6:7 [-]

369. Al 34 The First Deacons are Chosen and Ordained to Care for the Needy.
---- ---- ---- Ac 6:1-7 [-]

AL. 35

370. E AL 35 Steven’s Wisdom and Power.

---- ---- ---- Acts 6:8 15 (641/p.905)
The year following the death of Christ are years of rapid growth for the Church.
The Jewish rulers are greatly restrained by Rome’s great displeasure at Pilate’s handling of
Jesus. Furthermore, Pilate’s wife Claudia left him the day after the Resurrection over his
cowardice in regard to Jesus. As a result, Pilate is very angry with the Jewish leaders, and
give them no allowances in persecuting the Christians. In two years, Pilate’s passions would
subside while the Jewish Ruler’s patience with the new sect has reached a boiling point. They
arrest Stephen, whom they considered the most dangerous Christian in Palestine. He is taken
to the council of the Sanhedrin and accused.
641/p.905 - The Martyrdom of Stephen. Saul and Gamaliel.

371. E AL 35 Steven’s Stirring Message.

---- ---- ---- Acts 7:1 53 (641/p.905)
Stephen is before the council of the Sanhedrin. He delivers his message that
enrages the council. They rush upon him biting him with their teeth.

372. E AL 35 Steven’s Martyrdom. The First Great Persecution of the Church.

---- ---- ---- Acts 7:54 8:1-3 641,642
The first great persecution of the Church: Stephen is calm, dignified, blissful, and
even ecstatic. He sees a vision of Christ standing at the right hand of God. As he tells what
he sees, the council turns into a mob. Gamaliel, unable to take anymore of violence and
injustice, walks out, ignoring the shout of Saul who tries to stop him. Saul then runs over and
engages Gamaliel in a heated debate and accuses him of blasphemy for his defense of Jesus
and His message. In response to Saul’s interrogating question, “Are you perhaps . . . a
follower of that criminal named Jesus?” Gamaliel said, “I am not yet. But if He was what He
said, and truly many things prove that He was, I pray God that I may become one.” Stephen
is dragged out to be stoned. As the stones began to fall, he says to Saul, “My friend, I will
wait for you on the way to the Christ.” Paul’s response is, “Pig! Possessed!” and a mighty
kick to Stephen’s shin. The persecution of the Church begins. Saul becomes its chief
opponent.
Peter, James, John, the Zealot, Nicodemus and Holy Mary recover Stephen’s body at
night. They take the body to Mary’s house in Gethsemane. Stephen’s body is buried (E AL
36 ).
641/p.905 - The Martyrdom of Stephen. Saul and Gamaliel.
642/p.912 - Deposition of Stephen’s Body.

[Paul is converted, AL 36; Cornelius is saved, AL 36]

[Herod Agrippa begins persecution in AL 47; Peter is in Rome in AL 44-46.]

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[Paul’s first missionary journey is in AL 47-49; Matthew finishes compiling his Gospel in AL
49.]

643/p.915 (April AL 47) - Gamaliel Becomes a Christian. Jonah’s house in Gethsemane: A

wave of persecution instigated by Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, has just
subsided because of his death. James the Great, John’s brother, is one of his first martyrs.
Gamaliel, now an aged man and nearly blind, finally has the courage to approach the
Gethsemane home of the Holy Mother and ask for her prayers that he might come to know
The Light in its fullness. He has hesitated to approach the Apostles, fearing their reaction to
him, and yet feeling the need of their help in approaching God. He is encouraged by the love
of Mary and John and decides he will come to Peter and ask for Baptism, that he might be
restored as a true Son of God and become part of the Church.

644/p.920 (AL 47) - Peter Converses with John. Simon’s house on Lazarus’ Estate in
Bethany: Peter is trying to convince a reluctant John that the other remaining leaders in the
Church should leave Judea and evangelize elsewhere. The Church is too young and immature
to lose any more of its leaders. Many have already been killed, and Lazarus, Mary and
Martha have already left Judea. It is agreed that John cannot leave Mary alone in the
Gethsemane home. John shares his thoughts about the spiritual mysteries taking place in
Mary’s life and his view that she will be bodily assumed into Heaven suddenly, like Elijah.
Peter and John then both go over to see Mary just before dawn. Peter is still deeply troubled
about his failure.