The Ascension of the Lord - It's not over yet!

 

"I am with you always until the end of the age"

Matthew 28: 16-20

The Word:https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051726-Ascension

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity

of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

(Collect of Feast)

It isn’t often that we imagine Jesus issuing commands to his disciples.  Usually, we see him offering forgiveness, mercy, love, compassion to everyone who comes to him in any need.  Yet, we know that he took a different direction when confronted by the religious leaders of his time; the infamous Pharisees who would try and catch him in some violation of the Mosaic Law or some infringement of their religious rituals and traditions.

From the Gospel of Matthew on this Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Jesus issues a command to his inner circle of disciples. It’s not a forceful or threatening “command” but rather an expressed desire as Jesus says to them: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father . . . “While I imagine he issued this command in a firm but supportive way, it seems to me there’s no gray area when you simply “Go” and carry on the mission Jesus has begun. It is both exciting and cautious at the same time. 

The Apostles are called to preach as Jesus’ preached, to heal as Jesus healed, to meet opposition with non-violence and courage as Jesus did, and to remain steadfast in the core message of the good news of Jesus death and resurrection, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you . . . “

So, we might imagine the Apostles as courageous, stalwart individuals who got their act together and set out for all corners of the ancient world spread far and wide with the message of the Gospel.  Yet even they knew that when we join forces together as the People of God, we can, united in love, bring about a transformative experience that will move the direction of the world away from hatred and violence to unity and peace. It is Christ who works in his Church through the commitment of many. The following story may illustrate this point beautifully.

A teacher named Mark was in his second year of teaching, in the middle of the term, when the principal brought a new boy to the 4th grade classroom.  His name was Thomas, and Thomas had Turrets syndrome.  Now for those of you who are not familiar with Turrets should know that those who have this syndrome are intelligent people, but they are not able to control their bodies because of involuntary jerks and sudden movements that affect their movement and frequently their speech.

Thomas adjusted rather well to the 4th grade class, but his biggest challenge was reading.  In reading class each of the students took turns reading a paragraph out loud.  This was something that Thomas was embarrassed to do.  He understood the paragraph, but he knew that in reading it aloud there would be many false starts and stutters.  It was something that he was afraid to attempt.

So when Mark would ask, “Thomas, are you willing to read to the class today?”  Thomas would beg, “Please Mr. Harris.  Don’t make me read before the class!”  Mark never forced him to read.  But, he thought that it was important to keep asking.  This went on for months, until one day, Mark said, “Thomas, are you willing to read to the class today?”  “I can’t.” said Thomas.  But a girl in the next row said, “Yes you can, Thomas.  Give it a try.  If you get stuck, I’ll help you.”  And from across the classroom, another boy cried out, “Go for it Thomas.  Give it a shot.  If you get stuck, I’ll call out the word and all you’ll need to do is repeat it.”

So, Thomas very tentatively stood up at his desk and opened his book.  He began to read the paragraph.  Almost at every syllable – Thomas froze.  But then, someone would call out the word or the syllable and he would repeat it.  Thus, word by word, syllable by syllable, Thomas made his way through the paragraph.  By the time that he came to the end, almost everyone in the class had called out a word or had done something to help.  When he finally finished the last word, he closed his book and looked up.  The entire class burst into applause.  Then, Mark said that he saw something he had never seen before since Thomas entered the class.  He saw Thomas smile.  And, with a sweep of accomplishment, he took a triple bow.

The opposition the Apostles encountered on their missionary journeys as Jesus sent them out with the phrase: “Go, therefore . . . “was real and life threatening in many cases. But despite that, like the children who stood with Thomas in the classroom, so Jesus stands by his disciples in the power of his Spirit not only then but especially now

Jesus promised the Apostles that though he will not be physically present to them any longer, he will still be present in his Spirit in the Church, though his teaching and their faithfulness: “And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age . . . “

The Ascension of the Lord is not the end of a life lived on earth but rather a moment in the journey to eternity where God has taken humanity to heaven with Jesus and a reminder that it’s not complete until Christ comes again.  As St. Paul reminds us today to carry on what he began until he returns.  We don’t look up for Christ, we look forward and around us where he makes himself present in others, in the sacraments, in the works of mercy and love, in the body of the Church and every member of the body.

Let’s call out the words we need to hear; words of support, of acceptance, of forgiveness, of love and understanding.