The Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/051715-ascension.cfm
We’ve
all done it. The movie is over, we’ve
enjoyed the film and story very much, up come the rolling credits at the end
with the appropriate closing song and we make a dash for the exit. With
unfinished drink and maybe un-digestible kernels of popcorn we throw the trash
in the containers and exit the movie theatre.
We have no idea who was behind the making of the film, other than the
lead roles perhaps. I’ve often felt a little sorry for these
invisible folks who design costumes, movie sets, write scripts and create
amazing special effects. They're like unknown forces that create.
This
weekend we mark the Solemnity of the
Lord’s Ascension and quite frankly it is one event that has been treated as
something like the rolling credits of a film.
Ever wonder why in many areas the Solemnity was moved from a Thursday
(Ascension Thursday) to the following Sunday?
Because attendance was so low for Mass despite it being a holy day of
obligation in most parts. While in some
Dioceses of the U.S. Ascension Thursday
is still celebrated, in most of the Country and other parts of the world it
is the Sunday before Pentecost, which does get our attention – fire, wind,
tongues! Now that’s a production. Yet,
is the Ascension of the Lord, his return to heavenly glory, just a rolling
credit?
Not
exactly. In the entire celebration of
the Easter season which concludes next week with Pentecost, the Lord’s return
to glory may be viewed as the moment of connection in the grand story of God’s
work of salvation through his son Jesus.
As our Lord returns, he promises to come back. Sure, at the end of time. Yes then, but as we hear in the first reading
from Acts 1: 1-11: “He enjoined them not to
depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for ‘the promise of the Father about which
you have heard me speak . . . in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit.’” So, the Ascension is not an end but a moment of expectation;
something more and greater is about to take place. The Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus
himself and of the Father will come.
God
came first in the womb of the Virgin Mary, he walked among us to uncover the
mystery of God’s mercy and love, died and rose, returned to where he came from,
and now he will come again to give life and breath to the Church for all
time! That hardly sounds like the ending
credits.
Secondly,
it is a reminder of our destiny. A Feast for the future. The
Preface of our Mass today says it beautifully: “He ascended, not to distance himself from our lowly state but that we,
his members, might be confident of following where he, our Head and Founder,
has gone before.” Keep on with living the Gospel because the best is yet to
come for all of us as disciples of the Lord – stay in your seats the movie
isn’t over yet.
Finally,
it is the moment when the mission of the Church was given. A Feast for the present. Until the Lord returns in glory at the end of
all time – and no one knows when that will be, except the Father of course –
what are we to do? Just watch the clouds
waiting for that moment of awesome splendor?
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the
gospel to every creature. Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved . . . after he spoke to them, he was taken
up into heaven . . . But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the
Lord worked with them.” (Mk 16: 15-20).
We’ve
heard this command of Jesus before in varied ways but all fundamentally the
same: “Go . . .” It reminds us that Christianity is not a passive belief but an
active faith. Jesus, front and center, entrusts
the mission of the Church to his Apostles and through them to every baptized
Christian. It is the same mission of Christ carried on. So Christians are by
nature called to be missionaries.
Yet,
is that what we see when we look around?
Is this what our modern day culture promotes? We pride ourselves as Americans on being
independent, free, entrepreneurs, capitalists, and opportunists to achieve
wealth, fame, fortune – or at least wealth, comfort, and prosperity. In the end while we all enjoy the benefits of
this uniquely free society we have become a culture of consumers. So much is offered to us that is constantly
new and changing – just think of technology – that we have come to expect that it’s
all here for our consumption. In other
words, the “what’s in it for me” syndrome has settled in quite nicely. Our needs and our wants have become so
intertwined that we can barely make a distinction between them. And all the marketers know this. It’s the way it all works. “You need this” or “You want this” is the
mantra we live by.
But,
the Gospel of Jesus Christ looks at life a bit differently to say the
least. It’s not about consuming wealth
but rather about becoming disciples of the Lord Jesus. Not about greed but
about sacrifice; not about “me” but about “you.” We are called to “Go” and when
we go we need to put our material possessions in perspective for the baggage we
carry is the Gospel of Jesus’ mercy and love.
We
are not all called to literarily relocate geographically but we should be
missionaries in the land where we live:
at home with family, in our parishes and our schools, our places of
employment and with those we meet.
Preach by our actions more than our words and it is the Spirit promised
by Jesus at his Ascension that compels us.
Jesus
has raised the bar very high for us but assures us that we are not alone in his
work and his mission. No the movie isn’t over and it isn’t time to dash out and move on to the next flashy thing. Be
disciples not consumers.
Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God,
and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving,
for the Ascension of Christ your Son
is our exaltation,
and, where the Head has gone before in glory,
the Body is called to follow in hope.
(Collect of Solemnity)
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