Sunday after Ascension Day AD 2025

Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to Heaven. His disciples no longer saw Him, but that did not mean that He had abandoned them. On the contrary: He came back to them, He even came into them, through His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who testifies in their hearts and through them of the great love of God.

He testifies of love, which becomes true within us and manifests itself in our lives as charity. This is exactly what Saint Peter says in today’s Epistle: “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Above all, it is God whose charity covers the multitude of sins. The perfect love of God has become flesh in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, whose precious blood washes away our guilt and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Our charity can't quite do the same, for “none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” (Psalm 49:7)

However, our charity also has great power: it frees us from the desire to take revenge on those who have wronged us; it reminds us that since we often do not know all the circumstances of our neighbors’ actions, we are not able to judge them impartially. And most importantly: it reminds us that we too are just poor sinners and cannot live without forgiveness, understanding, and love. God has forgiven and covered our sins - let us forgive too, knowing that the same charity of God covers our own sins as well. Glory be to God, whose charity has covered our sins!